S. Kalimantan DPRD questions coal dead stock

The head of the South Kalimantan legislative body (DPRD), H. Mansyah Add, has raised a question on the real amount of illegal coal "dead stocks" that has been collected since Jan. 1, 2000.

Different figures have emerged on the amount of the coal dead stocks, ranging from 400,000 tons to one million tons.

"The coal supervision and settlement team should have given the right data on the amount of the coal dead stock, in line with the real situation in the field," Mansyah said.

He said that DPRD would not make troubles in the handling of the coal dead stocks as long as the handling took consideration the interests of local administrations, including regencies.

The head of the team, H. Armain Janit, said that his party could not give the exact figure on the amount of the coal dead stock because the team faced difficulties in collecting the right data.

Armain said that his party could not monitor all illegal coal, and it could not even prevent the illegal coal from being transported out of the province. "There must be some movements of illegal coals that are beyond our control."

He predicted that around 12 million tons of illegal coals had been transported out of the South Kalimantan province, without giving any revenue contribution to local administrations.

Nevertheless, Armain also expressed his concerns over various levies imposed on the disposal of illegal coals by various parties, namely the Rp 12,000 per ton of coal levy imposed by the Kotabaru regency and Rp 9,000 imposed by the Association of People's Mining (Asperasi).

"That is exceeding the Rp 15,000 per ton levy imposed by our team," he said.

He noted that levy imposed by Asperasi was illegal, and therefore he demanded that Asperasi return the Rp 60 million funds it collected from the disposal of illegal coal to the local administration.

Armain called on all parties, including non-governmental organizations, to help the team and law enforcers to minimize illegal mining activities in South Kalimantan. (*)