Illegal miners working in Bogor

BOGOR: The illegal excavation of sand, rocks and soil is taking place in a number of areas in Bogor regency, but the authorities are finding it difficult to put a stop to these activities, an official said.

The head of the services division at Bogor regency's Mining Agency, Asep Zaenal, said illegal mining was taking place in a number of villages, including Kelapa Nunggal, Kembang Kuning, Parung Panjang, Gunung Sindur, Caringin and Pasir Buncir.

"Nearly every day hundreds of trucks transporting red soil head for Jakarta," Asep said, adding that they usually worked at night.

He said the illegal miners had been working in these areas for some time.

The miners say sand, rocks and soil were provided by God so nobody could stop them from making use of these gifts, Asep said.

Illegal mining can have a serious impact on the environment, including worsening flooding in downstream areas, particularly if the mining takes place in river catchment areas, he said. --JP