Government to close illegal mines in Gunung Salak

The government will soon launch an operation to close the mushrooming illegal mines in Gunung Halimun and Gunung Salak forest conservation area in West Java to prevent further damage in the local environment, Kompas reported on Monday.

Lucky Wahyu Muslihat, the deputy head of the Gunung Halimun-Salak conservation area, said over the weekend that the final warning would be soon sent to villages near the location of illegal mines to give the illegal diggers the last chance to leave the mines.

There are at least 11 illegal mines found in the Gunung Halimun and Gunung Salak at the forest conservation area involving thousands of traditional diggers. The number of people involving in the activities continue to increase from day to day causing a critical damage in the protected forests.

Several years ago, the park management and the police had successfully closed down a number of illegal mines in the area. However, the illegal diggers, supported by businessmen from outside the area, returned again not along after the closing. (*)