Residents allowed to hunt for gold in Barito river

The authority of the Barito regency in South Kalimantan has finally agreed to legalize gold exploration activities on the Barito river in a bid to reduce illegal gold mining activities in the area, Banjarmasin Post reported on Wednesday.

The head of the regency’s mining office, Asran, said that the permit would be given only for six-month period. “We have to assess the impact of the exploration activities on the environment. The contract can be extended only if there is no serious impact on the environment,” he said.

The permits would be given to 20 residents in the Lahei district and to other 27 people in Lemo villages. (*)