Sulteng DPRD Recommends Cancellation of Limestone Mining Permits

Palu (ANTARA) - Commission III of the Central Sulawesi Provincial DPRD recommends the cancellation of all mining business permits (IUP) and the implementation of a moratorium on limestone mining in Banggai Kepulauan Regency.

“We recommend to the Governor of Central Sulawesi to cancel all IUPs and impose a moratorium on limestone mining in Banggai Kepulauan,” said the Chairman of Commission III of the Central Sulawesi DPRD, Dandy Adhi Prabowo, in Palu on Thursday.

Currently, 23 IUPs have been issued in the Banggai Kepulauan region, consisting of five IUPs for operational production and 18 IUPs for the exploration stage.

Commission III assesses that the existence of these permits has the potential to cause serious damage to the karst ecosystem, including forests, lakes, caves, and habitats of protected endemic species.

In addition, he said, limestone mining activities also contradict the Banggai Kepulauan Regency Regulation Number 16 of 2019 on the Protection and Management of the Karst Ecosystem.

The protection of karst areas is further strengthened by the Regent’s Decree of Banggai Kepulauan Number 224 of 2022 on the Designation of High-Value Areas for the Conservation of Karst Ecosystem Biodiversity, which is equipped with maps and coordinate points of the conservation areas.

Based on the results of discussions in Commission III of the Central Sulawesi DPRD, it has recommended to the Governor of Central Sulawesi to cancel all IUPs that are proven to contradict legal provisions.

In addition, the Central Sulawesi DPRD also requests the provincial government to impose a moratorium on all mining activities in the Banggai Kepulauan region.

This step is important to prevent further environmental damage and to ensure the sustainability of the karst ecosystem, which has vital functions for community life.