Tempo Interactive, Friday, 22 October, 2010
TEMPO Interactive, Maros:Two major mining companies, PT Makassar Indah and PT Bosowa Mining, are suspected of violating mining rules as they have been carrying out marble exploitation in a protected forest area in Maros, South Sulawesi.
“If they are proven to have mined marble in the production site, we will report this to the police because both companies were only granted the right to use the forest area as a production site, not the right to mine, based on the Forestry Minister’s decision,” said Suardi S, the Maros Mining and Energy Mining Office chief in charge of mining, yesterday.
Both companies denied the accusation. Abdul Hafid, the marble mining production chief of PT Makassar Indah, said his company is still mining marble at the mountain areas around the production site and has opened new spaces outside the protected forest in Leang-leang, Bantimurung sub district.
PT Bosowa Mining’s staff, Arif, said his company is still mining in the production site while other activities are carried out in PT Semen Bosowa’s areas.
On a separate occasion, Muhammad Amin and Muhammad Arsad, from the Maros Regional House of Representatives’ (DPRD) Commission I, assumed there are certain people in the Mining Office suspected of colluding with the mining businessmen. For instance, some companies are still operating although their licenses have expired.
IIt’s true the companies provide job opportunities, but what will happen to our grandchildren in the next 30 years if the natural resources are exploited without any time limit,” Amin said. Earlier, Suardi denied the rumors about some officials in the Mining Office conspiring with mining businessmen. “If the DPRD can prove that, I am ready to be dismissed,” he said.
He also said if the DPRD wanted to, his office is ready to close down all marble mining operations. “We are only doing our job according to our superior’s policy,” he said.
Jumadi
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