PT BA asked to halt operation in Lahat coal mine

The Lahat regency administration in South Sumatra has asked state owned coal mining company PT Batubara Bukit Asam (PT BA) to halt its coal mining activities in the regency, Sumatra Express reported on Wednesday.

Marwan Mansyur, a senior official at the office of the Lahat regency, confirmed on Tuesday that the local authority had asked PT BA to stop its mining activities on a 582-hectare mining area in Merapi district.

"We have asked the company to stop its mining activities in the area because the area being exploited is part of the regency's productive forests," he said. According to him, the company would not be allowed to resume the mining activities until it obtains a special permit from the ministry of forestry," he added.

According to the existing regulation, a mining company should receive a leasing permit from the minister of forest to carry out mining activities in protected or productive forest areas. (*)