Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Village execs seek probe on mine tunnel opening in Itogon
WORRIED officials of a village in Itogon, Benguet petitioned the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to investigate the opening of a tunnel by a mining firm in the town.
Saying the new mine tunnel might aggravate the already unstable condition of ground near their area, officials of Barangay Tuding, Itogon asked the MGB to look into the newly opened tunnel and to possibly order its closure.
They said the Atok Gold has opened a new tunnel at Sitio Surong I in Barangay Gumatdang, which, based on the work plan, is directed towards Sitio Bua in Tuding.
But they claimed the operation of the new tunnel would put Sitio Bua and its immediate vicinities in a dangerous condition.
Aside from ground destabilization, residents in the area feared that their water source would be depleted.
A study done by the MGB in 2003 at a school in Sitio Bua revealed that the area and its immediate vicinities fall within the natural geologic hazard zone. The agency forecasted that future ground instabilities would take place in the area.
To prevent further ground instabilities and avoid loss of lives and properties, officials of Barangay Tuding asked the MGB and the Itogon Municipal Council to conduct their investigation and possibly order the closure of the newly opened mine tunnel if the investigation would forecast possible risks. (JC)
