W Sumatra urged to halt coal exploration in protected forest

The provincial office of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in West Sumatera has called on the local administration to halt the plan to develop a coalmine in the Kerinci Seblat National Park.

Rusdi Jabar, the head of the mining office, said that the authority of the Pesisir Selatan regency should soon issue a decision to halt the plan in order to protect the protected forest in the area, Riau Post reported on Wednesday.

?Based on the law no 22, 1999 and the government regulation No 25 on regional autonomy, the local government has the responsibility to issue a permit for general mining, except for gas and oil,? he added. The local government should therefore use its authority to reject the application develop a coal mining in the park.

Local company PT Sari Agrindo has reportedly sought a government permit to develop a coal mining area covering about 1,724 hectares near the protected forests. The plan, however, is opposed by the residents because more than a half of the area are located within the protected forest. (*)