Finland Times

 

A number of lawmakers on Thursday in parliament urged the government to pay compensation immediately to the people already affected by the damage wreaked by the waste water released through the leak developed in a gypsum pond of a Talvivaara nickel mine in eastern Finland early Monday.

A statement signed by 38 lawmakers said the government should take the responsibility of compensating the victims on its own.

Most of the signatories belong to the Perussuomalainen (True Finns) and the rest includes MPs from the Keskusta party (Centre party), Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democrat party), and Vasemmistoliitto (Left group).

The lawmakers also termed the mining activities essential for the country.

The leak in a gypsum pond forced Talvivaara to shut down its mining operations to prevent water pollution by the leakage.

Talvivaara sources said on Monday that at least 7,000 cubic metres of waste water was oozing out of the leak an hour, although on Tuesday morning they estimated the per hour leakage at only 2,000 to 3,000 cubic metres.