Joint team to probe coal pollution in Antique
A multi-party team is set to inspect the coastal area of an island in Antique alleged to have been damaged by wastes coming from a coal washing plant.
The multipartite monitoring team (MMT) will go to Brgys. Alegria and Semirara in Caluya town and conduct an inspection of the areas alleged by the residents to have been damaged by coal wastes from April 1 to 3, Environmental Management Bureau regional director Bienvenido Lipayon told The News Today yesterday.
The scheduled inspection comes six months after about 40 residents of Sitio Bigo in Brgy. Alegria, headed by Brgy. Captain Ronald Lavega, wrote Environment Sec. Lito Atienza on September 2008 and complained of the destruction of the mangroves and the siltation of the beach. The residents blame Semirara Mining Company, which operates a coal washing facility in the adjacent barangay of Suha.
In a letter, Lipayon said that the SMC explained to them that old stocks of coal were washed away when typhoons Frank and Seniang hit the province last year.
The inspection, he said, will not be limited only to the areas subject of the complaint but also the entire aspect of operation of the coal washing plant.
The MMT, he said, is composed of representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the local government units of Antique province and Caluya town, SMC, and Non-governmental organizations.
After the inspection, the MMT executive committee will meet to determine the veracity of the complaint, and, if warranted, ascertain the SMC's liability.
In the meantime, the SMC plant continues with its operations because the EMB did not issue a cease and desist order against the mining company, Lipayon said, although they have already issued notices of alleged violation, and of violation to the respondents on December 2008 and February 2009, respectively.
He explained that his office did not issue a CDO because SMC's Environmental Clearance Certificate was issued by their central office.
The matter of issuing a CDO falls under our central office because they issued the ECC, Lipayon stressed.