Oh...My Gresik

Entah kapan tepatnya semua aktivitas seperti yang nampak pada foto disamping dimulai. Yang jelas saya cukup terpana dan terheran-heran dengan segala pemandangan yang ada pada foto disamping. Tepatnya di jalan penghubung antara perumahan GKB dengan desa Suci.

Beberapa bulan yang lalu saya masih menikmati kegiatan bersepeda di area yang sekarang dipadati dengan aktifitas yang kelihatannya adalah pengeboran minyak tersebut. Menyusuri perbukitan kapur, disela-sela para pekerja pencari batu kapur yang mempersiapkan diri untuk memulai aktifitasnya.
Indah dan menyenangkan sekali. Waktu itu seingat saya hanya sebelah kiri sisi jalan(kalau dari arah GKB ke Suci) terdapat kegiatan pengeboran minyak. Itupun masih sepi aktifitas, karena sempat terhenti entah karena apa. Setiap melintasi area lembah kapur tersebut selalu membuat saya untuk berhenti sejenak, menikmati pemandangan hamparan lembah tersebut.

Namun hari Minggu kemarin.....betapa terkejutnya. Karena di sisi kiri dan kanan jalan terdapat pemandangan yang ramai aktifitas seperti yang tampak di atas. Bagi saya pribadi, hal ini sangat memprihatinkan...Terlepas dari siapa yang mempunyai kuasa dan berhak untuk memutuskan pengolahan area tersebut...saya sebagai penduduk Gresik yang tinggal di wilayah tersebut merasa kehilangan...dan hanya bisa prihatin....apakah tidak ada tempat lain di area Gresik yang jauh dari pemukiman penduduk yang bisa diexplorasi untuk kepentingan seperti itu....? Apakah keamanan, ataupun kesehatan lingkungan( dan ah...kenyamanan) dari penduduk sekitar sudah diperhitungkan dengan adanya proyek tersebut....? Apakah mereka yang membangun itu sudah mempersiapkan rencana tanggap darurat apabila ada kondisi emergency bagi warga disekitarnya...?Apakah nantinya tidak akan ada lahan kosong di area Gresik yang akan tersisah karena semuanya akan di explore habis-habisan...?

Saya nggak ngerti dan nggak bisa jawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang sepele tersebut....tapi yang jelas, saya(dan saya harapkan juga semua warga Gresik yang lainnya) untuk selalu buka mata dan telinga, guna ikut mengawasi kemungkinan terjadinya segala aktifitas yang sekiranya sengaja ataupun tidak disengaja merusak dan merugikan lingkungan kota Gresik tercinta....Ayo..!!!

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Sidoarjo Hot Mud Flow: 3 Years in Disaster....

Hot mud flow in Sidoarjo for the first time burst in Siring village, Porong, Sidoarjo, East Java province on May 29 2006. 200 meters from the well drilling of Lapindo Brantas Inc. in Renokenogo village. For the last three years, hot mud outpouring has reached at an average rate more than 40,000 m3/day, with a temperature of 80 - 90 degrees Celsius. The"mud volcano" in Sidoarjo district has inundated 4 adjacent villages, displaying nearly 7000 people. Almost 12,000 medical treatments have been carries out, mainly for people affected by the release of hydrogen sulphide gas.

The Sidoarjo mud handling board now focusing on overcoming mud spill on the surface, rather than trying to stop the outpouring

There is no effective way of stopping the mud outpours. Some efforts to stop the outpouring that had been done included building a relief well and planting concrete balls. But everything is of no avail, although trillions of IDR had been spent. Thot mud outpouring had reached the stage of cauldron with a rapid process of deformation reaching 4 meters a day.

According to some experts, hot mud flow are geological phenomena due to over pressurized, subsurface mud layer. The cause of the eruption has not yet been established. However, it may be linked to the gas exploration activities by Lapindo Brantas Inc. at the Banjar Panji I well.

Others experts maintained that the disaster has nothing to do with drilling, but is a natural phenomenon, for the reason that the center of the outpours lies 200 meters from the drilling site, and therefore suspected of being triggered by a tectonic quake in Yogyakarta on May 27, 2006.

Picture: Reuters

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Stop Exchange Kisses...!!! ; In Anti - Swine Flu Drive!

Swine flu has not yet hit Lebanon but is threatening a national custom there. Lebanese should stop greeting each other with kisses to the cheek.
According to Reuters Health Minister Mohammad Khalifeh told a news conference called to explain measures to tackle the potential spread of the deadly strain.
" If you visit someone, don't ex-change kisses....Let's stop the social kissing habit," the Health Minister said. Lebanese have long greeted each other with three kisses to the cheek.

Other measures include keeping school children with flu at home and avoiding travel to countries where the viruses has appeared.
The new strain of swine flu has killed at least 150 people in Mexico. Israel, which borders Lebanon to the south, confirmed a case of the virus.

From: Reuters
Picture: The Huffington Post

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Nuclear Power Plant For Indonesia, Are We Ready For That.. ???

Indonesia gonna have nuclear power plants. The goverment plans to built its first nuclear power plant on the foothills of Mount Muria, a dormant volcano on the north coast of Java island.
A well constructed nuclear power plant maybe have an important advantage when it comes to electrical power generation. They extermely clean.
Compared with a coal-fired power plant, nuclear power plants are a dream come true from an environmental standpoint. A coal-fired power plant actually releases more radioactivity into the atmosphere than a properly functioning nuclear power plant. Coal-fired plants also release tons of carbon, sulfur and other elements into the atmosphere.
But we have to consider the very real possibility of a large industrial accident occurring within the plant as a result of mechanical failure, human failure, and natural disaster which almost every year strikes our community.

There are significant problems with nuclear power plants:
1. Natural phenomenom like earthquake, tsunami, storms, and ligthning can contribute to increase d safety risk at nuclear power station.
2. Mining and purifying uranium has not, historically, been a very clean process.
3. Improperly functioning nuclear power plants can create big problems. The Chernobyl disaster is a good recent example.
Chernobyl on April 26, 1986 occurred as a result of an experiment on how long safety equipment would function during shutdown at the fourth reactor unit at Ukraine's first and largest nuclear power station. The operators had dismantled safety mechanisms at the reactor to prevent its automatic shutdown, but this reactor type (a graphitemoderated Soviet RBMK) became unstable if operated at low power. An operator error caused a power surge that blew the roof off the reactor unit, releasing the contents of the reactor into the atmosphere for a period of about twelve days.Chernobyl was poorly designed and improperly operated, but it dramatically shows the worst-case scenario. Chernobyl accident scattered tons of radioactive dust into the atmosphere.
4. Problems of waste disposal. Spent fuel from nuclear power plants is toxic for centuries, and, as yet, there is no safe, permanent storage facility for it.

5. Transporting nuclear fuel and waste to and from plants poses some risk: how do you guarantee against an accident en route?

These problems have largely derailed the creation of new nuclear power plants. Our goverment and society seem to have decided that the risks outweigh the rewards. So what do you think ?? give your comment here...

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Emergency Response Plan for us

Almost every year, emergency situations strikes our communities. Tsunami, severe storms, floods, earthquake, and fires are the most common. No one now is immune. A catastrophe can hit anyone, anywhere in this country
Natural and industrial disasters are truly unpredictable, at least to the general population. Hot mud flow in Porong, several transportation and industrial accidents, and even terrorist attack fall into this category. Such event seem remote and improbable, and generally with out warning.

On the other hand, most emergency situations can be foreseen. For example, if you live in a forested area, you need to be prepared for a forest fire. Likewise, if you live in a flood plain or a tornado zone you must have a safety plan to deal with those possibilities. Moreover, everyone needs to know what they would do in case of a home fire. Whether you live in a house or an apartment you must have an escape plan.

Catastrophes are often associated with extreme weather, so it’s very important to heed weather warnings. Even with very short notice, you can take necessary precautions and cancel unnecessary activities.

On the other hand, a major fire or flood may require evacuation. Where would you stay? How would you get there? You’ll need to take personal essentials, including personal identification for all family members. Keep your gas tank at least half full; you may need to make a trip in the car at a moment’s notice.

Precautionary habits prove their worth when an unexpected emergency occurs. If your health depends on certain medications, refill prescriptions so you keep at least a week’s supply on hand; and update all contact information and plans whenever there is a change. You should also check that your insurance covers the types of catastrophic events that could happen in your area.


It’s hard to think straight under crisis conditions. Planning in advance for an emergency enables you and your family to make smart decisions. Even though you can’t prevent an earthquake or stop a flood, you can take measures to keep your family safe. That’s the reason why we need Emergency Response Plan for our family and community.

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Emergency Preparedness: During an Earthquake

When you are in the building and suddenly feel an earthquake happen, you must duck under a desk or sturdy table. Stay away from windows, bookcases, file cabinets, heavy mirrors, and other heavy objects that could fall. Watch out for falling plaster and ceilings. Keep stay undercover until the shaking stops, and always hold onto your cover. if it moves, you must move with it.

Below are some tips for specific areas/locations:
High rise building: If you are in it, and there is no desk or table, move againt an interior wall and protect your head with your arms. Don't use the elevators! Don't be panic if the alarm or springkler system come on. Stay indoors. Glass windows can dislodge during the earthquake and sail for hundreds of feet.
Outdoors:If you are outdoors, move to a clear area away from trees, signs, buildings, electrical wires, and poles.
Near building: Duck into a doorway to protect yourself from falling bricks, glass, plaster, and other debris. Driving: Pull over to the side of the road and stop. Avoid overpasses, power lines, and other hazards. Stay inside the vehicle until the shaking is over.
Crowded store or other public place: Do not rush for exits. Move away from display shelves containing objects that could fall.
Kitchen: Move away from the refigerator, stove, and overhead cupboards.
Stadium or theater: Just stay in your seat and protect your head with your arms. Do not try to leave until the shaking is over, then leave in a calm, orderly manner. Avoid rushing toward exits.
Quoted from: LAFD Earthquake Handbook

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