0 Sandstone mining devastating Petanu River

Since the 1990s, sandstone mining has escalated rapidly along the banks of Tukad Petanu (Petanu River) in Gianyar regency, fueled by the massive development of villas and hotels throughout the island. While instant cash may have benefited the few locals who are engaged in the mining, the environmental losses have begun to change the face of Tukad Petanu for the worse. “Every time I went to Tukad Petanu, I was deeply saddened. Until when will we humans continue to take our benefits from nature in unfriendly ways like this?” 

a resident of Kemenuh village, Ida Bagus Ariawan, told Bali Daily on Tuesday. Ariawan said he often went fishing on the river that flows past his village. Nowadays, fishing in Tukad Pe-tanu has become less enjoyable for Ariawan, as sandstone sediment from the numerous quarries along the river embankments is polluting the water. For decades, sandstone has been the main construction material for Hindu temples in Bali. Today, the rock is also apparently regarded as a prerequisite in the construction of villas and hotels so as to present the so-called Balinese architectural style. 

“This sandstone mining has been going on since the 90s. For the past three years, miners have begun using mechanized cutters to get greater production,” Ariawan recalled. “The eastern bank of Tukad Petanu is rich with heritage sites related to Balinese kings, known as petilasan. Too bad, all of those are being wiped away by the mining,” he said sadly. Indeed, the sandstone mining has contributed instant cash for a few local residents in the regency’s Kemenuh village in Sukawati district and Buruan village in Blahbatuh district, located respectively on the eastern and western banks of Tukad Petanu. 

For every are, or 100 square meters, of land they rent out for a period of 5 to 10 years to the sandstone miners, the land owner could receive tens of millions of rupiah. “Some residents could even pocket up to Rp 150 million [US$15,480] of cash per are of their land, if the quality of the sandstone underneath their soil is considered excellent,” stated Ariawan. It is estimated that in Kemenuh village alone there is at least 6,000 square meters of land being mined for sandstone. 

Data from PT Alam Santi, the developer of the 1.5 hectare Taman Petanu villa estate in Kemenuh village, shows that there are 31 mining contractors operating in Kemenuh village’s three hamlets of Sumampan, Tegenungan and Medahan, all located next to Tukad Petanu. The plot of land on which the developer is constructing a so-called eco-neighborhood lies next to the river and has a direct view onto several sandstone quarries. “The mining has caused massive land loss, diverted the water flow of the river and polluted the water at Tegenungan waterfall,” said PT Alam Santi field coordinator and part-time social worker Shirley Maya Argasetya. 

“We found that some 40 subak [traditional farming and irrigation organizations] in Keramas village in Blahbatuh district, about 5-10 kilometers away from here, have also been affected. The mining has damaged their irrigation channels, thus for the past two years their some 1,800 hectares of rice fields could not get enough water,” Shirley said. Reportedly, landslides around the mines, which could reach some 200 meters in depth, have claimed human casualties too. It is estimated around 300 people are working in mining, most of whom are not from the area. 

Despite the fact that only 15 percent of his village’s 1,800 families have benefited from sandstone mining and the fact that the mine trucks have caused damage to the village’s only street, head of Kemenuh village I Dewa Nyoman Neka said his hands were tied and he could not directly ban the mining. “As far as I know, in Gianyar mining is not yet regulated. So we can only urge the village residents to be more careful and to start planting albesia trees in areas that have previously been mined in order to immediately rehabilitate the area,” said Neka, adding that he would report the problem to the Gianyar regent, while he also plans to improve the database of environmental and social problems in his village to further seek the best solutions. 

Neka also said that in the past four months around 5 hectares of land along the embankment of Tukad Petanu had been sold to a property investor, thus, he claimed the acquisition would bring an end to the mining activities once and for all.

source : bali daily