Illegal mining in Kalimantan has become national disaster: Minister

The growing activities of illegal coal mining in Kalimantan, particularly in South Kalimantan has become a national disaster given the serious damages they have caused on the environment, State Minister for Environment Nabiel Makarim said as reported by Kompas daily on Wednesday.

The minister predicted that with such massive illegal coal mining activities, in addition to the growing illegal forest cutting and forest fires, South Kalimantan in particular could soon become a giant rock if no measures were taken to stop their activities.

If all the upper parts of the soils in the area were taken out and left only rock, the South Kalimantan province could become a desert island comprising only of rocks, he said. ?What would happen in the province then. Should we let our grand children move to Java for a better place?,? he said in a meeting with the South Kalimantan?s senior officials.

The minister suggested that if illegal coal mining companies refused to join a partnership program with authorized coal miners, they should be closed down. ?If not, their activities will continue expanding from time to time,? he said.

Partnership program

The local authority has for several years introduced a partnership program between authorized coal miners and illegal miners in a bid to cope with the growing illegal mining activities. Major coal producer Arutmin has, for example, tied up with cooperatives owned by the local police and army to carry out the partnership program.

South Kalimantan Governor Sjachriel Darham said that the partnership program should be further improved. According to him, Arutmin should also provide technical assistance on how to carry out mining activities according to proper procedures.

?Arutmin should provide mining guidelines to all the illegal coal mining companies joined the partnership program. If the technical assistance is only given to one of them, the result will be minimal,? he said. (*)