Samarinda Adm. has not decided on the fate of problematic coal mines

The Samarinda municipal government in East Kalimantan has not decided about the fate of eight coal mines which had been temporarily closed although the deadline given to them to comply with the regulations has passed, Kompas reported on Tuesday.

Endang Liansyah, the head of the mining office at the Samarinda municipality,said in Samarinda on Monday his office was still completing the data from the eight problematic coal mines. ?We will announce it tomorrow,? he added.

As many as eight coal mines have been temporarily closed since January 25 because they did not conduct the mandatory mine rehabilitation as required under the mining regulations. They also did not have waste disposal areas and other important facilities needed to cope with the environment from the impact of their mining operations.

They have been given a month until Feb.25 to improve their mines according to recommendations issued by the local mining office.

The eight mining companies are CV Prima Coal Mining, CV Graha Benua Etam, Buana Rizki Armin, Bismillahi Res Kaltim, Graha Benua Etam, Panca Bara Sejahtera, Tunggal Firdaus and Utia Irma Jaya. (*)