Noise hazard ongoing at Tari Airport

Hercules C130 aircrafts

POLLUTION from dust and noise created by huge Hercules C130 aircrafts and semi-trailer trucks engaged in the multi-billion kina PNG LNG project in Tari is seriously affecting residents of Tari town in the new Hela Province. 

Among the worst affected are students of Tari Administration and Kuluanda primary schools, and patients at the Tari district hospital. Tari Admin and Kuluanda schools plus the hospital are the three key government installments located close to the airport, along with the few markets and shops. With the frequent use of the airport by three huge North America-based Lynden Brothers Air Cargo Hercules C130 air aircrafts ferrying supplies, equipment and heavy machinery for the LNG project into Tari airport, the noise and pollution is unbearable. Tari Admin head teacher Mr Roger Harabe expressed concern yesterday from Tari that the education of his students is seriously affected by these huge aircraft that make multiple daily flights to Tari. “Every day, my students and teachers are disturbed and cannot concentrate in class,” he said.“There is no peace and the environment is not conducive for learning.“How do you teach or learn with so much dust and noise pollution a few metres away the classrooms?“This is Tari’s worst man-made disaster and its happening everyday since 2009.“What are the authorities and ExxonMobil, the PNG LNG project developer and its subsidiary EHL (Esso Highlands Limited), going to do about this?”My school needs to be relocated elsewhere immediately,” Mr Harabe said. Mr Harabe said apart from these huge Hercules aircrafts, the amount of noise and pollution produced by the frequent use of the airport today by other airlines such as Airlines PNG and Air Niugini only makes matters worst. He said a few years ago, Tari airport was once a quiet, peaceful and sleepy remote highlands town but this has changed. He said Tari is now one of the busiest airports in the country, bustling each day with noise and pollution caused by these aircrafts and planes of different makes, sizes and models. Post Courier.