Lawmakers blame Tanito for causing floods in Kutai

The legislative council of the Kutai Kartanegara (Kukar) regency in East Kalimantan has blamed coal mining firm PT Tanito Harum for causing the floods which inundated many parts of the regency last week, Kaltim Pos reported Tuesday.

The council?s vice chairman Marwan said in the regency?s capital Tenggarong that the flood occurred because a leakage in the mining company?s ponds used to treat water waste. ?We are quite sure that the poor handling of Tanito?s ponds has partly caused the flooding,? he said.

Another concilor Aji Dendy called on the government to revoke the firm's mining permit.

"The firm is undisputably wrong. Its mining license should be revoked and the firm should be closed down," Aji said.

However, the company?s senior official in charge of environmental affairs Afwan denied the charge saying that the floods which inundated parts of the regency?s areas for several days last week was caused by heavy rains.

?It is quite inaccurate if the councilors blamed the company as the cause of the flood,? he added. (*)