Govt to tightly monitor coal exports

By Godang Sitompul

The Directorate of Minerals and Coal will set up a cross-sectoral partnership with other governmental offices, particularly the Ministry of Trade, to more closely monitor coal transportation, transshipment as well as loading ports in order to prevent coal from being illegally exported.

?We shall monitor the secret route that is usually used to smuggle coal out of the country,? Edi Prasodjo, Director of Coal Business Supervision at the Directorate General of Minerals and Coal, said on Monday.

He said the measure is also taken in order to better control and supervise the use and production of coal in the country.

The government has targeted the national coal production should not exceed 400 million tons next year, he said.

Editing by Godang Sitompul