Post-Mining Reclamation in Kalimantan Neglected

TEMPO.CO, Banjarmasin - Head of the South Kalimantan Mining and Energy Office, Kusto Widodo, said that mining organizations with mining licenses (IUP) in South Kalimantan are not committed to conduct post-mining reclamation. The IUP-holders believe that they have provided the regency/city of coal producers with enough collateral.

With money as collateral, said Kustono, the companies are generally unwilling to carry out the reclamation. “It is also difficult for us to take action because mining permits are issued at the regency/city level,” he said to Tempo at the Regional House of Representatives Building of South Kalimantan, Monday, December 9, 2013.

Currently, disrupted land in South Kalimantan has reached 33,726.22 hectares, with 18,700.36 hectares reclaimed and 9,047 hectares re-vegetated. “Maybe because they think they have paid the collateral, they refuse to conduct land reclamation,” said the head of South Kalimantan Environmental Agency, Ikhlas.

Head of the Mining Commission of the South Kalimantan Legislative Council (DPRD), Puar Junaidi, admitted that there are still many unruly mining organizations in South Kalimantan. In September, his party has issued Regional Regulation Number 1 of 2013 on Post-Mining Reclamation. He hoped that the regulation would be able to pressure the organizations to carry out reclamations in their areas. “The types of sanctions are warning, temporary shutdown and revocation of licenses,” he said.

DIANANTA P. SUMEDI