Forestry secures illegal mining heavy equipment

Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan 6/6 (AntaranewsKalsel) - South Kalimantan Forestry Agency (Dishut) secured a heavy equipment type of the Excavator used by illegal coal miners in the production forest areas.

Head of South Kalimantan Forestry Agency Hanif Faisol Nurofiq in Banjarbaru on Tuesday said the excavator was secured by forest police in Satui Sub-district, Tanah Bumbu.

"The forest police visited the mining site in Jorong Satui Village on Wednesday (31/5) and found miners escaped leaving the excavator at the site," he said.

Hanif, who was accompanied by Secretary Rahmadin MY, said the area mined by illegal coal miners was included in production forest areas that should not be used as mining area.

"We are informed of illegal coal mining activities using heavy equipment so immediately ordered the forest police to check and it was true," he said.

He said, the PC 300 type excavator is still secured in the office yard of the agency Jalan Ahmad Yani Km 35 Banjarbaru waiting for the owner or the person who claimed to be the owner.

"We still keep the heavy equipment until the owner comes and processed," Section Head of Damage Prevention and Forest Protection Pantja Satata added.

Pantja, who led the raids at the illegal mining location, said the officers could not catch any one at the mine site because they immediately ran away.

If any owner or person is responsible for the heavy equipment, it will be subject to sanctions in accordance with Law No. 18 of 2013 on the prevention of forest destruction.

"The threat of punishment for anyone violating the law is imprisonment of 5 to 10 years or a maximum fine of Rp20 billion," he said.