Kutai seeks for temporary closure of Tanito coal mine

The legislative council of the Kutai Kertanegara regency has asked the local regent to send a proposal to East Kalimantan governor for the temporary closure of coal mining company PT Tanito Harum, Kaltim Pos reported on Tuesday.

?The mining company?s operations should be temporarily halted for at least three months to allow it to restore the environment that has been damaged due to the company?s mining activities,? Baharuddin Demu, the head of the Commission I of the regency?s legislative council.

The local government has blamed Tanito for the big floods which hit villages near the company?s mining sites.

Baharuddin said that the sanction should be given to the company because the initial results of the environmental audit conducted by the ministry of environmental affairs indicated that the company had violated environmental regulations in its activities. (*)