Hala Al-Qahtani
THE minister of energy, industry and mineral resources has recently claimed that there were eight factors behind the success of Ma’aden (Saudi Arabian Mining Company). Foremost among them is the company according priority to safety and environmental health. The minister’s remarks came during an interaction with the newly structured board of the company.
I am not sure whether the minister or the board members have any prior knowledge about the ecological disaster caused by its Sukhaybarat Mine in Al-Qassim province. The toxic chemical waste from the mine polluted groundwater wells used by the people and livestock in the nearby Al-Badeea village. The villagers are still suffering from the adverse impact of chemical leakage from the mine.
All their troubles started in 1992 when the toxic substance such as mercury and arsenic mixed with groundwater reached the wells in the village. The villagers used to drink this water, in addition to feeding their livestock and used for their irrigation purposes for several years before they came to know about the toxic presence. However, it was certain that the company, which is operating the mine, was aware of the dangers of this waste well in advance by virtue of their expertise in handling toxic waste.
Afterwards, people of the village started noticing recurrence of health disorders, such as skin allergy and redness in eyes. But it was too late and as a result, these disorders were exacerbated to serious illnesses like liver cirrhosis, congenital malformations in newborns, repeated miscarriages among women and the prevalence of baldness among girls.
The suffering of the people from toxic leakage came to light when the Human Rights Commission sought a report from the Al-Qassim governorate about it in June 2008. The governorate formed a committee to carry out studies about contamination of water in the wells. This followed publication of a shocking King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center’s report that the tests carried out on water collected from the village wells showed that it was unfit for human consumption. It was discovered that there was high concentration of mercury, selenium, and arsenic in water samples and it was more than the maximum allowable limit. Some samples showed that they were contaminated with bacteria. Some of these chemical substances like mercury may lead to some serious diseases such as jaundice, digestive and respiratory disorders, enlarged liver and skin infections. Arsenic compounds are considered carcinogens.
After these facts were out and the intervention of several agencies, the company tried to solve the problem through reverse pumping operation under which the groundwater level was brought down so as to minimize the poisoning danger. But this led to the death of livestock and destruction of farms and date palms because of drought. When the company realized that the problem was bigger than the proposed solutions, it closed three wells, and took pledge from owners not to use them. However, the company broke its promise to the owners that it will pump water for them as well as for their farms and livestock.
Several newspapers and television channels brought to limelight the suffering of the villagers that was worsened as a result of ineffective handling of the issue even after publication of the studies and reports by the concerned committees. At last, the matter was raised to the highest authorities four years ago and subsequently an order was issued to relocate the township to an area away from the mine, the source of pollution.
However, the villagers did not find any solution to their problem.
Last week, the people of Al-Badeea, through a video clip and appeal posted on the social media, urged Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to take steps to end their over 20-year-long suffering. The villagers wanted that a Royal Court official may be entrusted with the task of taking measures to address their hardship either through relocating the entire villagers or give compensation to the human and material losses they incurred.
I wish that the new board members of the company would visit the village to make an on the spot assessment of the environmental hazard and explore ways to get rid of the toxic waste. They have to make public what precautionary measures have been taken in this regard.
From the point of the corporate social responsibility, I hope that at least one television channel would highlight this issue with all its aspects transparently.
Finally, the affected villagers are in dire need of assistance. We have to pay heed to their grievances and stand by them in overcoming this terrible situation.
