Illegal coal mining in South Kalimantan intensifies: official

Illegal coal mining activity in the South Kalimantan Province has intensified despite measures taken by the central government to resolve the problem, according to the inspector general of the ministry of energy and mineral resources Muzani Syukur.

Speaking in a meeting with the House of Representatives VIII on mining and energy, Muzani also criticized the policy taken by the new South Kalimantan Governor which was counter productive to the efforts to resolve the illegal mining problem.

"It is true that illegal coal mining activity in South Kalimantan has intensified particularly after the installation of the new Governor," Muzani told legislators.

He pointed out that the new Governor had reopened the transportation route for the illegal coal, and had provided dispensation for the selling of the illegal coal.

Muzani said that some 2 million tons of illegal coal had been shipped out of the province.

He also said that the staffs at the ministry of transportation in the province had been uncooperative in preventing the shipment of the illegal coal. He said that they maintained that coal was not among of the commodities that must be watched.

Muzani said that he had discussed this over with the ministry in Jakarta, and promised a full cooperation to help curb illegal coal mining.

He said that measures to be taken in the efforts to curb illegal mining would be primarily directed at the traders and financiers. He said that it was nearly impossible to direct action against the thousands of miners because of their huge number.

He added that another alternative was to provide a legal mining site for the people.

Illegal mining has been a serious problem as it destroys the environment and discourage investment in the mining sector because many of the illegal miners entered the site of legal mining company mostly those of the foreign companies. (*)