The Sinar Makmur Farmers Group, which consists of 45 households managing 60 hectares
of rice fields in Sukanti Village, Hulu Sungai, South Kalimantan, experienced a total crop
failure due to PT Agro Lestari Mandiri's liquid waste. Pollution of the Batanghari Kecil
River by the concentration of BOD and COD that exceeded the quality standard caused material losses of Rp850,000,000. This legal analysis examines the juridical position of
farmer groups and determines the best dispute resolution mechanism between litigation or non-litigation channels. The results of the study show that farmer groups have a strong legal basis based on Article 87 of Law No. 32 of 2009, Article 1365 of the Civil Code, Article 85 of the PPLH Law, and the right of group representatives to sue in Article 91.
Informal attempts through letters of objection in April and June 2025 failed due to a denial
of responsibility by the company. The study concludes that non-litigation mediation is the most effective and rapid legal remedy. This mechanism requires the defendant to pay
Rp850,000,000 in damages and carry out comprehensive environmental restoration, including repairing waste treatment plants and rehabilitating river ecosystems. The non-litigation pathway offers faster resolution, lower costs, maintained confidentiality, and sustainable environmental restoration, making it superior to lengthy judicial litigation.