Police escort coal trucks in South Kalimantan

Police have provided escort to around 500 coal trucks on their way, especially when they were passing through Jalan Pangeran M Noor, to Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, the Kompas reported Monday.

The police asked the drivers of hundreds of trucks that carrying coal from South Hulu Sungai regency?s coal mines in Tapin and Banjar to park at one location. Because hundreds of local people were ready to impose a levy on trucks along the Jalan Pangeran M Noor.

The people are determined to impose levy on trucks because it seems the government is unable to impose an official levy on coal trucks. So the people took the initiative to impose levy on drivers. The money is meant for repairing the road and cleaning the environment, especially the dust from the trucks.

?In principle, police will curb illegal levies on the streets,? South Kalimantan Police chief Brig. Gen. Halba Rubis Nugroho said. He also suggested that both the government and the local people must resolve this problem together.

Actually this was not the first time police escorted the coal trucks. Last time it was in early July. At that time police cleaned the levy check posts along the road to Trisakti port. (*)