Bengkulu Governor Asks Regional Police Chief To Investigate Illegal Mines Entering Protected Forests

Illustration of illegal coal mining in Papua (ANTARA)

Bengkulu Governor Rohidin Mersyah said he had asked the Bengkulu Police to conduct an investigation into the discovery of illegal mines entering the protected forest area of Bukit Daun.

"We have coordinated with the Bengkulu Police Chief Inspector General Pol Armed Wijaya and the location has been given a police line and we have reported it to the police for investigation," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, February 28. He mentioned that a joint team from the Environment and Forestry Service (DLHK) and the Mineral Resource Energy Service (ESDM) of Bengkulu Province as well as mine supervisors have carried out inspections at the location, precisely the Lindung Forest Bukit Daun, Central Bengkulu Regency. In the examination, it was found that there were indications of illegal mining in forest areas and the location of the mine is a coal mining support area belonging to PT Bukit Sunur. "Indeed, there are indications of illegal mining but the area has entered the mining area of PT Bukit Sunur which is a supporting land but is carried out mining from outside parties and is currently under investigation," he said. Previously, the Lindung Forest Management Unit (KPHL) Bukit Daun Bengkulu Province, received a report from the community regarding illegal coal mining activities in the Central Bengkulu Regency area. Head of the Bukit Bukit Daun, Bengkulu Province, Yudi Riswanda, said that the results of the inspection in the field were known to have indeed occurred illegal coal mining activities in the Forest of the Central Bengkulu region, which was originally the former area of the coal mine of PT Bukit Sunur or about 2.4 kilometers from the protected forest.

"The illegal coal miners have destroyed the former mining area of PT Bukit Sunur which has been reclamationd for approximately one hectare," he explained. He said, if the illegal coal mining activity was left alone, it was feared that it would expand the illegal coal mining area to protected forests.