Dispute with PLN goes on over lake water

PADANG, West Sumatra: The dispute between residents living around Lake Maninjau and the state electricity company PLN has yet to end despite several meetings between the company and the people.

Idham Rajo Bintang, chairman of the Association of People Care for Lake Maninjau Water, said on Wednesday that heaps of garbage had been left uncleared due to a technical problem in the water suction system for driving the turbine.

"The lake water is dirty and smells bad. The lake does no longer deserve to be used as a tourist attraction," Idham said.

According to Idham, the deteriorating quality of the lake water had also resulted in the damage to more than 3,400 hectare of corn.

Meanwhile the Agam regency, where the lake is located, demanded that PLN pay for the water it used based on Provincial regulation No. 11/1997 on regional taxes and levies.

"PLN should have paid a total of Rp 32.7 billion in taxes as of December last year. The company said it had been suffering from financial losses," Werli Hamdi, regent's assistant on administration and economy, said.

Djoewarso W., director of West Sumatra and Riau PLN Office said his company was ready to pay compensation to the residents after the cause of the water pollution was determined.

"It is the fish food, not the PLN turbine system, which causes the lake water to smell bad," he said, adding that the tax to the local administration was being discussed at the ministerial level.

Locals breed fish in the lake, and a huge amount of fish food is poured into the lake everyday. (28/sur)