Looking Up Close To The Ex-Mining Land Turned Into A Coal Berau Becomes A Golf Course

Photo: (Maria Trisnawati/VOI)

BERAU - PT Berau Coal is serious about reclamation of his former coal mining land.

This refers to Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining by requiring Indonesian mining companies to carry out post-mining reclamation and corporate social responsibility through the Community Development and Empowerment (PPM) program.

One of the reclamation steps taken by PT Berau Coal is to turn the former mining land into a golf course located in Site Binungan, Berau Regency.

This Golf Course stands above Block 5 and Block 6 which are land that was completed mined in 2005.

Mine Closure Department Head of PT Berau Coal, Doddy Herika said, Binungan Golf Course is one part of the Kembang Mapan program or Future Development Area which is also integrated with other programs.

"We want to hope that this former mining area can provide benefits from ecological and social values. If the economy will definitely occur when you do social values," he said when met at Lapang Golf Binungan, Wednesday, December 6.

Doddy detailed that the golf course area now reaches 55.38 hectares (Has) and already has 18 Holes with available facilities such as Green Rough, Fairway, Bunker and rest areas.

Doddy added that initially PT Berau Coal intended to close all of the 709 former mines, but changed his mind because he found post-mining lakes that had water quality in accordance with the quality standards that could be used for freshwater farming.

Built On Stakeholder Request

Doddy said that the plan to build a golf course was carried out on the push of stakeholders.

At the beginning of its establishment from 2006 to 2009, the Binungan Golf Course only had 9 holes and became the first golf course in Indonesia to be built in a post-mining area.

"Until 2009 we tried for the first tournament and caused high enthusiasm from the community and stakeholders and then we expanded it to 18 holes," continued Doddy.

Because he received a good response, PT Berau Coal then expanded the land that would be used as a gold field with an additional 31 Ha and 9 additional holes.

Thus, the golf course in the middle of this former mining land became 51.38 HA with a total of 18 holes,

Proposed To Become A Field For Tournaments

With a warm welcome from the community, this field is planned to be a field that is open to the public and used for other prestigious tournaments. However, Doddy admitted that his party was still experiencing several obstacles.

"Now it is open to the public, only the target is when to make it a golf course that can indeed be used for national tournaments. Like PON. Indeed, we haven't had time," he said.

Doddy said that several things that must be prepared by PT Berau Coal before being used as a golf course for the tournament are health workers who are more sensitive than residential areas, considering the time limit that golf athletes can take on a maximum journey of 45 percent.

"While access to here takes 1 hour. Thank God we have been assisted by government programs," he said.

For now, the government has built access in the form of a bridge in Inaran Village, Sambaling District which has begun to be built and is confirmed to be completed by the end of 2023.

"Later, you can bring the motorbike here within 40 minutes. The bridge will really help the Kembang Mapan area run optimally. Moreover, this golf course is equipped with various views such as residents' villages and several holes with views in the form of voids.

"In the vocals, it is true that the former mine still looks like land has not been greened. This has become a character for the Berau Coal golf course," concluded Doddy.