Govt team fails to curb illegal mining: Survey
Wednesday, September 20 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
The South Kalimantan administration and its KPPMB illegal coal mining fighting team has failed to curt the rampant illegal coal mining activity in the province, according to a survey conducted by a local NGO called Olah Tajuk Banjar.
Some 55 percent of the respondents said that the KPPMB team had been weak in implementing its mandate, the local Banjarmasin Post daily quoted the survey.
Another 29 percent respondents said that the KPPMB had done nothing.
Nearly half of the respondents said that the illegal coal mining activity has been financially backed up by big businessmen or investors.
The respondents also believe that the illegal coal mining had been a source of corruption by government and security officials.
Around 81 percent of the respondents said that the illegal coal mining activity should be completely eradicated, because it only caused problem to the area including environmental pollution or destruction.
Although they admit that the illegal mining had some economic advantages, but the negative impact was much greater. (*)