Illegal mining activities in Jambi cause major destruction

Hundreds of productive land in Bungo regency, Jambi have been severely damaged due to illegal gold mining activities. Many the illegal miners have abandoned the damaged land and relocated their activities to nearby palm oil plantations.

Jambi governor Zulkifli Nurdin and Bino regent Sofyan Ali inspected the damaged land on Friday, mostly located in Sungai Buluh village, Swijaya Pos reported on Saturday.

Mukti Syuhada, a village chief in the area, said that many illegal gold miners have bought the nearby land, which have mostly been appropriated for palm oil plantations for the local farmers. "They bought the land Rp 20 million per hectare from the local farmers," he said.

He said that his office faced difficulties to curb the illegal gold mining operations, because most of them were financed by businessmen from outside the village.

Bungo regent Sofyan Ali promised to curb the operation of the illegal gold mining activities, which involved at least 1,000 people. He asked the local police also to help fight the illegal gold mining operation, if not all the productive land in the area would be damaged by such operation.

According to him, some of the illegal miners come from Java. "If we don't pay serious attention, more people will come to the area to carry out illegal mining activities," he added. (*)