Miners should obtain forest concession holders? approval: Ministry

Although mining companies have secured land-use permits from the forestry ministry to develop forest areas, they still need the approval from the owners of the forest concessions to be able to carry out their exploration activities.

Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan said in Jakarta on Tuesday that as forest areas which were leased to mining companies were mostly located in existing forest concession areas, they should seek approval from concession holders to be able to carry out exploration works.

In addition, the minister said that the mining companies should provide compensation funds for the rehabilitation of the forests. The funds should be given to the holders of the forest concessions which would carry out the rehabilitation works.

According to the minister, as the obligation to obtain forest concession holders? permit still has no legal base, his office would revise Forestry Minister?s decree Number 18, 2011 on the guidelines on forest-lease permits to ensure that it will be part of the requirements a mining company should fulfill to be able to conduct exploration activities in forest areas.

The minister said that at present many mining companies carried out exploration activities in forest areas without the consent of the forest concession owners. ?They have to obtain approval from the forest concession holders so that conflict could be avoided,? he added. (*)