Kapuas Hulu Police Have Not Detained Illegal Gold Mining Owners In Batu Tiga Village

Illegal gold mines suspected of using chemicals in the form of cyanide in Bukit Hitam, Batu Tiga Village, Bunut Hulu District, Kapuas Hulu Regency, (ANTARA)

KAPUAS HULU - Kapuas Hulu Resort Police (Polres), West Kalimantan Province, secured a unit of heavy equipment type excavator suspected of being used for illegal gold mining activities in Batu Tiga Village, Bunut Hulu District, Kapuas Hulu. "Further steps, we will examine witnesses and hold cases and ask for expert information," Kapuas Hulu Police Chief AKBP Hendrawan told ANTARA at Putussibau Kapuas Hulu, Sunday, April 28. Hendrawan said the owner of the heavy equipment had the initials S. However, currently no detention has been made because it is still in the process of being investigated for further legal proceedings. According to him, one unit of heavy equipment that was detained was different from the location of the illegal gold mine which was suspected of using cyanide and mercury chemicals in Bukit Hitam, Batu Tiga Village, Bunut Hulu District. "It's different from yesterday," said Hendrawan. To note, at different locations, on Saturday, April 20, to be precise in Bukit Hitam, Batu Tiga Village, Bunut Hulu District, Kapuas Hulu Police have also investigated illegal gold mining activities suspected of using hazardous chemicals, namely cyanide and mercury. The case is currently still being investigated by the Kapuas Hulu Police For gold mining activities without permits (PETI) which are quite rampant, Hendrawan appealed to the public not to carry out PETI activities, especially in protected forest areas that can damage the environment. "Please, those who wish to carry out mining activities must have a People's Mining Area (WPR) permit and a People's Mining Permit (IPR)," he said. Meanwhile, the Head of the Public Housing, Land and Environment Office of Kapuas Hulu Jantau recently, said that environmental damage due to gold mining activities without a permit (PETI) in a number of sub-districts in Kapuas Hulu was severe enough, thus requiring serious attention from all parties. "We ask that illegal gold mines be stopped because the impact of environmental damage is quite severe and it will take a long time even 40 to 50 years for environmental restoration," Jantau said. Jantau said that there were three sub-districts that suffered severe environmental damage due to illegal gold mining activities, namely Boyan Tanjung District, Bunut Hilir District and Bunut Hulu District. According to him, local governments continue to strive to provide understanding to the public so as not to carry out illegal mining either through socialization or by facilitating the management of proposals for the people's mining area (WPR) and the People's Mining Permit (IPR). Untuk saat ini sedang tahap penguyangan delapan IPR, sedangkan empat IPR sudah keluar. In addition, this year there will be assistance from the central government through the ministry regarding gold processing equipment without mercury in Entibab Village, Bunut Hilir District. Previously, there was already one location that already used gold processing equipment without mercury in Penemur Village which would soon be inaugurated. "Regarding the control of illegal gold mines under the authority of the police, we are only handling the environment," he said.

Nevertheless, Jantau asked people who carried out illegal mining to immediately stop these activities. If you want to continue working in gold mines, it is better for the community to take care of licensing both the WPR and the IPR.