Govt to crack down on illegal mining
Govt to crack down on illegal mining
JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to form task forces to curb
an increase illegal mining activities in resource-rich provinces.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy will establish a central team
to supervise these task forces, which will deal with illegal
miners, a statement from the ministry said on Friday.
Illegal mining has caused heavy losses in tax revenue,
royalties and fees, the statement said without giving any figure.
South Kalimantan provincial administration said in September
that illegal mining companies have reaped Rp 990 billion (US$140
million) in coal sales since 1998. So far this year, they are
estimated to have mined three million metric tons of coal.
These companies have ignored environmental safety guidelines
and have made no effort to restore the areas after mining them,
creating pollution and environmental destruction, the ministry
said.
The task forces, which would include representatives of local
prosecutor offices, would place emphasize on enforcing the law.
Besides cracking down on illegal mining companies, they would
also clamp down on members of the military, the police and
administrations involved in these activities, the statement said.
Most of these illegal activities allegedly received the
backing of local military or police officials, one reason often
cited for the difficulties in stopping them.
Minister of Mines and Energy Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said
last week that the government was considering ways of regulating
traditional mining activities by local communities.
He said proper community development programs by mining
companies would create employment for the local people, which in
turn, would prevent them from taking part in illegal activities.
Separately, general affairs manager at PT Adaro Indonesia, Edi
Suwiknyo, a coal mining company in South Kalimantan, said illegal
mining has drastically increased over the past three years.
Many of these illegal mining companies brought their heavy
gear from outside Kalimantan, including excavators which they
bought cheaply from construction companies. (03)