Rantau Bakula Mining Gets Yellow Lights

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (AntaranewsKalsel) - Underground coal mining activity in Rantau Bakula, Banjar District, got a yellow light or a sign of caution from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM).

Secretary of Commission III DPRD South Kalimantan H Riswandi revealed it in Banjarmasin on Tuesday after the commission visit to the ministry in Jakarta last week to discuss the problem of underground coal mining in Rantau Bakula.

"Commission III would not really want but was forced to talk about underground coal mining in Rantau Bakula (about a three-hour car ride from Banjarmasin)," he said.

The problem is, said the three periods legislator of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the negative impacts occured along with underground coal mining activities in Rantau Bakula, among others, land surface going down about five centimeters.

Trees or plants which are economic efforts of citizens of Rantau Bakula, part of Meratus Mountains, is now being plagued with allegations toward underground coal mining.

In talks with Commission III, the Ministry of Energy agreed that for a year ahead transfer of technology from the company to local residents will take place.

"After a grace period of one year, the company is still able to bring in workers from it origin country, but only for experts. As for middle to lower job must use local workers," said Riswandi.

Previously, South Kalimantan Mining Agency has stopped the underground mining activities after local residents rallied to DPRD to express their aspirations, grievances and concerns on February 2.

But after about a half months later, the central government (Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources) allowed the company to get back for mining. 

But it was with notice that the foreign investment company should improve the work system and technology in order not to cause severe environmental impacts, as well as to pay attention to local aspirations.

The under ground Coal mining in Rantau Bakula by PT Marge Mining Industry (MMI) - China's foreign company's - has been in operation since 2016.