Two E. Kalimantan coalminers given last chance to repair environmental damages

Two coalminers in East Kalimantan have been given six months to repair environmental damages in their mining locations, local daily Kaltim Post reported Monday.

The environmental office (Bapedalda) of the Kutai Kartanegara regency on Monday summoned officials of PT Multi Harapan Utama and told them that it could no longer tolerate environmental damages caused by the company?s mining and transportation activities. On May 14, Bapedalda leaders also met with officials of another coal producer, PT Kitadin, conveying to them the same message.

Bapeldada head Rini Budi Sayekti said that it had conducted a survey to determine the real environmental condition in the mining sites of the companies. She said that Jakarta-based Office of Surface Mining and an East Kalimantan non-governmental organization had joined them in the study.

Rini said that her office would impose sanction against the coalminers if they failed to repair environmental damages within six months.

She added they might have to take similar measures against three other coalminers also found causing damages to the environment. They were PT Fajar Bumi Sakti, PT Tanito Harun and PT Bukit Baidhiri Enterprises.

Bapedalda had earlier asked the five firms to improve the environmental condition in their mining locations. (*)