Cement Factory Development can create serious issues for the Karst Threatened 

The Tapak Tuan karst area that stretches from Pasie Raja District to North Kluet District and the Labuhan Haji karst area in South Aceh District, Aceh, are threatened due to plans to build a cement factory .

The factory locations are in four villages, namely, Pulo Le II and Ujong Padang Asahan Village , Pasie Raja District and Gunung Pulo and Pasie Kuala Asahan, North Kluet District. 

Indonesian Forum for the Environment [ Walhi ] Aceh gave a note . The construction of a cement factory will have a serious impact on the Kluet River Basin [ DAS ] which covers 163,551 hectares , which includes the Pasie Raja DAS [ 281 hectares ] and the North Kluet DAS [ 1,369 hectares ] .  

The Tapak Tuan karst area has 70-80 percent of the potential to form a Geological Protected Area or Karst Landscape Area [ KBAK ] . Approximately 31 km of river flow area with 29 m3 / second of water discharge will be lost if the karst area is damaged .

The Tapak Tuan karst area, which stretches from Pasie Raja District to North Kluet District, and the Labuhan Haji karst area in South Aceh District, Aceh, are threatened due to plans to build a cement factory by PT. Kotafajar Semen Indonesia.

The factory locations are in four villages, namely, Pulo Le II and Ujong Padang Asahan Village, Pasie Raja District and Gunung Pulo and Pasie Kuala Asahan, North Kluet District.

In its explanation on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, the company is preparing an environmental impact analysis document for plans to build and operate a factory with a production capacity of six million tons per year.

"The factory will be built on an area of ​​1,234 hectares, located in Pasie Raja District and North Kluet District," explained the company, which is located at Kobexindo Tower, Jl. Pasir Putih Raya Block E-5-D North Jakarta, DKI Jakarta.

Regarding this plan, Munawir, a resident of North Kluet, admits that he is worried about the negative impact it will have.

The Aceh Indonesian Forum for the Environment [Walhi] gave a note. The construction of a cement factory will have a serious impact on the Kluet River Basin [DAS] which covers 163,551 hectares, which includes the Pasie Raja Watershed [3,281 hectares] and the North Kluet Watershed [1,369 hectares].

"In addition, it will also have an impact on the Kotafajar Groundwater Basin (CAT) covering an area of ​​26,910 hectares," explained the Director of WALHI Aceh, Ahmad Shalihin, early February 2023.

These two sub-districts are prone to disasters, both abrasion and moderate levels of ground motion.

"Both of them are in zone 3 for the level of vulnerability to soil movement and zones 4 and 5 for the level of serious and very heavy erosion. Pasie Raja and North Kluet sub-districts are also areas prone to tectonic earthquakes. All are recorded in the Regional Regulation or South Aceh District Qanun Number 11 of 2016 concerning the 2016-2036 RTRW," said Salihin.

He added, another negative impact is the water crisis.

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Karst potential

The Aceh Regional Karst Care Forum [FPKWA] has conducted a survey of South Aceh's karst potential in May 2022.

Al-Hadi Rahman, FPKWA geological surveyor said, the Tapak Tuan karst area has 70-80 percent of the potential for the formation of a Geological Protected Area or Karst Landscape Area [KBAK].

“In this area there are several dolines and caves that have active speleothems . There are underground rivers and springs which are the source of life for the local community," he explained as quoted by AJN .

Al-Hadi said that the destruction of the Tapak Tuan karst area had a major impact on watersheds, especially the river below the surface.

This has had a huge impact on the lives and livelihoods of the people in Pasie Raja District, North Kluet, and Central Kluet. The designation of Tapak Tuan Karst as a Karst Landscape Area is the solution to preserving it," he explained.

In Aceh the karst area is divided into two, namely the western and central karst areas.

The western karst is spread along the west coast of Aceh, namely Lam Badeuk, Mata Ie, Lampuuk, Lhok Nga, Leupung, Lamno, Teunom, Labuhan Haji, and Tapak Tuan.

The central karst stretches from Laweung, Mount Peut Sagoe, Lake Laut Tawar, Isaq, Pining, Serbajadi, to Tamiang Hulu.

Currently the Lhok Nga karst is starting to be eroded due to the mining of cement raw materials, which was carried out by PT. Semen Bangun Andalas.