Camplong Beach Existence Threatened by Illegal Sand Miners
17 September 2014 01:58 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The existence of Camplong Beach in Sampang, East Java, has been threatened by illegal sand miners. Sand piles can be found at several spots along the beach.
“Actually, sand-mining is not allowed here. But what can I do? I have to make a living,” Marju, a sand miner from Taddan Village, said on Tuesday, September 16, 2014.
Marju can earn about Rp50,000 (US$4.2) a day from sand mining, which is higher than operating as a pedicab driver in Sampang.
Sampang Public Order Police Chief Hamdani admitted that there are illegal sand-mining activities in the southern part of Sampang region. He said that the Public Order Agency have made many arrests but did not stop them from doing the illegal activity.
According to Hamdani, their persistence was due to weak regulations to eradicate the sand mining activity.
“The punishment is too light,” Hamdani said, adding that the only solution is to impose heavier sanction for illegal miners.
MUSTHOFA BISRI