S. Kalimantan coal miner halts exploration due to villagers? protests

Coal mining company PT Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku has suspended exploration activities in the Sejakah marshlands of East Pulau Laut district, South Kalimantan following protests from local residents accusing the company of seriously polluting the area's water, Banjarmasin Post reported Wednesday.

 

Kotabaru deputy regent Fatizanolo S. said that he had asked the company to end its exploration activities in the area following complaints from the local farmers that the company's activities had polluted their fishponds

 

"The exploration activities have been halted while an investigation team is underway," he said.

 

The company's community development and government relations manager Sudasi Harsono said that the company had planned to conduct exploration in nine locations in the area.  "But the company could only carry out drilling on two locations to the depth of 176 meters due to the protests," he said.

 

The company had discovered coal seams measuring between 10.6 and 20 meters in thickness, he said.

 

The company had accepted the Kota Baru regency administrations’ decision, he said.

 

According to him, the drilling of the marshlands was carried out only for a survey purpose. The company had thus far no intention to conduct mining activities in the area becuase it id not have any technology to carry out mining activities in underwater areas. (*)