Aceh Police Investigate River Pollution Reports Due To Gold Mining Waste In South Aceh

Director of Special Criminal Investigation of the Aceh Police, Kombes Winardy. BETWEEN/M Haris SA

The Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation of the Aceh Police has begun investigating public reports regarding allegations of river pollution allegedly due to gold mining waste in Manggamat, South Aceh Regency.

"We are starting to investigate public reports regarding river pollution allegedly due to mining activities in Manggamat, South Aceh Regency," said Director of Special Criminal Investigation at the Aceh Police, Kombes Winardy in Banda Aceh, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, September 7.

In the investigation, said Winardy, investigators will coordinate with related parties who will check whether river water is polluted due to mining or not.

"We immediately coordinated with relevant agencies to examine samples. Sample inspections must involve competent parties with certified laboratories," said Winardy.

Previously, the people of Manggamat, Central Kluet District, South Aceh Regency, reported environmental pollution due to illegal mining allegedly carried out by mining company PT BMU to the Aceh Police.

Sutrisno, a representative of the Manggamat community, said that his party reported river pollution which was a source of daily necessities. Pollution is suspected to be carried out by mining companies that are active upstream of the river.

"People in nine villages in Manggamat were affected by the river pollution. In the past, the river water was clear and now it is cloudy with mud. This condition also causes people's fields to fail to harvest," he said.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Qodrat, the attorney for the Manggamat community, stated that there were allegations that the mining company violated the permit. PT BMU has an iron seed mining permit, but in mining gold.

"We suspect that mining waste is dumped into the river. Now, people are worried about using the river water because it has a negative impact in the future," said Muhammad Qodrat.