PALMOILMAGAZINE, LABUHANBATU – During President Joko Widodo’s visit to the Labuhanbatu Regency in North Sumatra Province on Friday (15/3), a woman staged a protest by holding up a poster bearing the message “We Want to Be Healthy, Not Polluted by PT PPSP.”
The incident gained traction on social media but was abruptly halted when an unidentified individual compelled her to lower the poster.
This demonstration was organized by residents of Pulo Padang, located in the Rantau Utara Subdistrict of the Labuhanbatu Regency in North Sumatra. It reflected their apprehension regarding the operational activities of PT Pulo Padang Sawit Permai (PPSP), which they fear may lead to environmental pollution.
The mill’s proximity to residential areas has resulted in pollution, foul odors, and excessive noise disturbing the local community.
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According to statements provided to VOA by Sri Hasibuan, a resident of Pulo Padang, the mill operates in close proximity to residential areas and schools. He noted that many residents have been voicing their opposition to the mill’s operations since 2017, citing numerous concerns, yet satisfactory resolutions have not been reached.
Furthermore, the mill has allegedly violated regulations, including those outlined in the Regulation of the Minister of Industry Number 40/2016 regarding Technical Guidelines for Industrial Regional Development.
The mill is not operating now after the people block the trucks full of material to be processed (in the mill). But it would be temporary because it would operate after some time passed.
The people of Pulo Padang did class action about the presence of the mill, but there was no solution for them because of the air pollution from the mill.
Juniaty Aritonang from Bantuan Hukum dan Advokasi Rakyat Sumatra Utara (BAKUMSU) said that the mill of PT PPSP breaks the Regional Regulation Number 3 / 2016 about Spatial Plans in Regency of Labuhanbatu in 2015 – 2035.
On the other hand, the manager of PT PPSP, Hernowo claimed only few people disagree with the mill while the company has got official documents to operate.
Though PT PPSP still does it best to minimize the negative environmental impacts, such as, making capturing tools to get ash from the burning process, and reducing the noise, what the people’s complained about should be the main focus. The mediation between the two parties in November 2023 did not successfully run. PT PPSP offered a solution by making the school with soundproof. (T2)
