Mining in protected forests made easy: Minister
Friday, March 24 2006 - 02:27 AM WIB
Ministry of Forestry MS Kaban said on Thursday that its ministry had issued new regulation that would allow mining companies which had been allowed to operate in protected forests to pay in cash instead of having to provide land as substitute for the forest areas affected, Koran Tempo reported.
Kaban said that the issuance of Minister of forestry?s Decree Number 14/ 2006, which stipulates cash payment came into effect in March 10. He said that the decree was issued to support investment climate improvement in mining sector.
?The cash will be treated as non-tax revenue,? he said.
Ministry of Forestry, however, insisted not to allow open pit mining in protected forests. ?Ministry of Forestry will never tolerate open-pit mining,? said Ministry?s secretary general Boen M. Purnama.
Billion of dollars of investment in mining sector has been stuck for several years because Ministry of Forestry sticks to its gun not to allow open pit mining in protected forests. (*)