Stephen Then, The Star 16 Aug 09;
BAKUN (KAPIT, CENTRAL SARAWAK): Environmentalists are up in arms over the move by the developer of the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam project in central Sarawak to set fire to timber-leftovers in 64,000 hectares of logged territories in the Bakun reservoir - an area the size of Singapore.
Sarawak Conservation Action Network coordinator Raymond Abin told The Star Sunday, the network had gathered information that the burning of the timber-debris had begun in Bakun as a prelude to the impoundment of the dam and the eventual flooding of the reservoir.
“We (network) are shocked that the entire reservoir will be set on fire in order to clear all the leftovers to enable the the impoundment of the dam to be done.
“Ground surveys carried out by us showed that the work to clear the dam reservoir had already started early this year and the contractors carrying out this clearing work are setting fires to those areas with large amount of uncleared timber-debris.
“The reservoir is the size of Singapore. Imagine the havoc to the environment if the burning is allowed to be done in such a huge area.
“There are 20 sub-catchment areas in Bakun. We have found that the burning had already started in different locations. The contractors are told to burn all areas to make sure all timber debris are cleared before the flooding.
“The workers are gathering all these debris and burning them until they turn to ash. An environmental crisis is waiting to happen in Bakun if the authorities do not step in and stop this,’’ he said.
The network is a coalition of more than a dozen environmental and native rights action groups.
Among its members are the Borneo Resources Institute, the Indigenous Peoples’ Development Centre, Customary rights of Sarawak’s Indigenous People Network, Sarawak Centre for Indigenous Rights, Sarawak Indigenous Lawyers Association, Serukup Raban Iban Bintulu, Gerempung Anak Biak Sekabai, Indigenous Peoples Institute of Malaysia, Society for Alternative Living and Native Longhouse Action Committee.
Abin on Sunday said the developer of the dam, Sarawak Hidro, is rushing to clear the reservoir of all timber debris because the impoundment of the dam is set for October this year.
“They want to get the reservoir flooded as soon as possible so that the power generation can start next year,’’ he stressed.
He said burning of such a massive area would cause large-scale air pollution and destruction of whatever is left of the Bakun ecosystem and the wildlife.
The recent fires and haze episode in Miri that had caused air pollution for a whole month showed how much damage such burning can cause to the environment and to humans, he noted.
“From the information we have received, the Bakun dam developer had not obtained any open-burning permit.
“Why is the Department of Environment and the Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board so silent about this?’’ he asked.
The Star had on July 27 to July 30 entered the Bakun region and found tracts of huge logged areas already being burned.
Sarawak Hidro managing director Zulkifle Osman had acknowledged that the clearing of biomass in the Bakun reservoir had started, but he did not say how the biomass would be cleared.
He, however, did say that efforts would be made to rescue as many of the wildlife and endangered plants as possible before the flooding.
Developer plans to use fire to clear Bakun dam area
Stephen Then, The Star 17 Aug 09;
BAKUN: An environmental crisis may be looming in Sarawak following revelations that the developer of the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam plans to set fire to an area the size of Singapore.
Sarawak Conservation Action Network coordinator Raymond Abin told The Star yesterday that it had information that the burning of the leftovers in the 64,000ha area had begun as a prelude to the flooding of the reservoir.
“We are shocked that the entire reservoir area will be set on fire in order to clear all the leftovers.
“The reservoir is the size of Singapore. Imagine the havoc to the environment if the burning is allowed to be done in such a huge area.
“This is a shortcut for the developer as a way of getting rid of the debris instead of carting it away,” he said, adding that contractors were already setting fires to the debris and burning it to ashes at various locations within the reservoir area.
The developer, Abin pointed out, could have carted the debris out but such a measure would take a long time and is expensive.
“An environmental crisis is waiting to happen in Bakun if the authorities do not step in and stop this,” he said, adding that the burning could cause large-scale air pollution and destruction of whatever was left of the Bakun ecosystem.
“The recent fires and haze episode in Miri which have caused air pollution for a whole month showed how much damage such burning can cause to the environment and to humans,” he noted.
The network is a coalition of more than a dozen environmental and native rights action groups, including the Borneo Resources Institute, the Indigenous Peoples’ Deve-lopment Centre and the Customary Rights of Sarawak’s Indigenous People Network.
Abin said the dam developer, Sarawak Hidro, was rushing to clear the reservoir area of debris because the impoundment of the dam was set for October.
“They want to get the reservoir flooded as soon as possible so that power generation can start next year.
“We have information that the Bakun dam developer has not obtained any open burning permit. Why is the Department of Environ-ment and the Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board so silent about this?” he asked.
The Star had entered the Bakun region between July 27 and 30 and found tracts of huge logged areas already being burned.
Sarawak Hidro managing director Zulkifle Osman acknowledged that the clearing of biomass in the Bakun reservoir had started, but he did not elaborate on the method.
However, he did say that efforts would be made to rescue as much of the wildlife and endangered plants as possible before the flooding.
