Coal miners required to meet eco-friendly criteria
Tuesday, March 27 2012 - 04:21 AM WIB
The Ministry of Environment has issued a regulation requiring the coal miners to apply Eco-friendly indicators during and after mining activities in open-pit mining system in a bid to protect and manage the environment.
The Ministerial Regulation Number 4/2012 on eco-friendly indicators on coal mining, signed by Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya on February 13, says the coal miners should manage land and water in eco-friendly manner during the mining, reclamation and post mining activities.
It says the removed topsoil could not be mixed with other soil or rocks and should be planted with proper vegetation. The miners should also foil the possible landslide from the removal of topsoil.
The regulation among others says the width of mined puncture could not exceed 30 percent of the total concession areas awarded to mining business permit (IUP).
The coal miners should also ensure that the decrease of acidity level (PH) of groundwater would not exceed one level from previous condition. The ground and surface water seeping in from coal mining concession area should meet the criteria set under the Ministerial Decree No. 113/2003.
Editing by David Mustakim