Residents Hope Environment Restored

The people of Hakatutobu welcome the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s plan to inspect areas in the province affected by nickel mining.

Kompas/Abdullah Fikri Ashri

A former nickel mining site in Hakatutobu village, Pomalaa district, Kolaka regency, Southeast Sulawesi, Friday (3/11). Even though the mine has been abandoned since 2014, local residents still complain about pollution in nearby waters as a result of mud from the site.

KENDARI, KOMPAS — The people of Hakatutobu in Pomalaa district, Kolaka regency, Southeast Sulawesi, welcome the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s plan to inspect areas in the province affected by nickel mining. The residents hope the environment will be restored for healthier living conditions.

“We just want the damaged environment to be restored. The mining pit could be restored by reclamation,” Asep Solihani of the People’s Empowerment Forum said in Kolaka regency on Tuesday (7/11).