Senior govt official defends decision to suspend Antang Meratus coal mining

A government official Thursday defended a recent decision by Hulu Sungai Selatan (HSS) regency administration in South Kalimantan to suspend coal mining activities of Antang Gunung Meratus (AGM).

The regency administration, however, was trying to find new evidence to support its decision, Mahyudin Lubis, Director of Mineral and Coal Enterprises at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources told Petromindo.Com.

Last Wednesday, HSS regent Muhammad Sapi?i ordered AGM to stop its mining activities in Malutu and Tambak Pipi villages starting Friday (Aug 15) because it allegedly failed to comply with existing mining law.

?The regent has the authority to suspend AGM?s activities if it is found causing serious damages to the environment,? Mahyudin said.

Sapi'i argued that AGM had caused serious damages to the environment in the two villages. The firm also had failed to build roads for its operation as required by existing mining law, and so far had used roads built by the local government, the regent said.

AGM produced 465,000 tons of coal in 2002. (godang)