Joint Officials Close Illegal Coal Mine At Balikpapan-Kukar Border

PHOTO VIA ANTARA

BALIKPAPAN - The joint forces of Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, have closed an unlicensed coal mining area in Karang Joang Village, near the Balikpapan-Kutai Kartanegara border.

"This is definitely illegal because coal mining is not allowed in the Balikpapan area," said Balikpapan Civil Service Police (Satpol PP) Head Zulkifli at the mine site, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, November 16.

At the location, officers from the joint Satpol PP, TNI, and Polri secured 2 excavators that were used to strip the soil. The operators and several other people at the mine site were arrested and questioned.

"The area is about 1 hectare. From the confessions of the employees we asked for information, no coal has been brought out. The activity has only been one month. And the existing coal is around 1,000 metric tons," said Zulkifli.

Furthermore, the case is immediately processed at the Balikpapan Police as a form of law enforcement.

For environmental reasons, the Balikpapan City Government does not allow the existence of a coal mining area in the City of Oil in the form of Mayor Regulation No. 12 of 2013.

Even in regional spatial planning, although geologically in Balikpapan there is also coal stored, not a single area is allowed to be mined.

In various projects where there is stripping of land such as land preparation for housing, for example, coal seams are often found. If such a thing happens, it is sufficient that the coal from that location is moved within the area as well, or in such a way that the manager or developer changes the planning of the area to avoid further stripping.

Moreover, added Zulkifli, the illegal mine in Karang Joang is located in the buffer zone of the Manggar River Protection Forest.

"We will continue to monitor this area. If there are still illegal activities, these two heavy pieces of equipment can be confiscated," said Zulkifli asserted.