Illegal miners accuse IMK of damaging environment

Illegal miners in North Barito regency, Central Kalimantan, have accused gold mining company PT Indo Muro Kencana (IMK)--the subsidiary of Australian miner Aurora Gold-- of damaging the local environment, the local Kapos daily said Wednesday.

The paper did not clearly say what environmental damages were except for the five big holes left by the IMK mining activity.

The paper also quoted head of the local Bapedalda environmental watchdog Ardiansyah Romzah as saying that IMK should be held responsible for the environmental destruction.

IMK had often accused illegal miners operating in ex-mining site of damaging the environment.(*)