Bauxite Mining in Kas Island Allegedly Violated Regulation

The three convicted illegal mining

Bauxite mining by PT Bukit Merah Indah in Kas Island, Durai District, Karimun regency, Riau Islands Province allegedly violates zoning and spatial planning.

PT Bukit Merah Indah has long exploited the mineral bauxite on Kas Island including small island as set in the Act and Coastal Area Management of Small Islands.

Community leader from Kundur Island, Raja Zuriantiaz said, Kas Island based on regional plan Karimun regency in 2003 did not include the mining area, but the area of ​​aquaculture, traditional settlements and the fishermen catch fish.

Raja Zuriantiaz assess Karimun regency government should not issue a mining permit at PT Bukit Merah Indah on the island.

''Although Karimun regency rich in mineral bauxite or tin, but the exploitation of minerals should refer to the regulation. Kas Island including small island regulated its use by law,'' he said.

Utilization of small islands, according to him should pay attention to environmental sustainability, ecosystem balance and survival of people living in the vicinity.

Mangrove plants in coastal Kas Island has an area of ​​approximately 384 hectares of land damaged by the cleaning conducted by PT Bukit Merah Indah.

Bauxite waste disposed of that company, according to laboratory tests carried out expert witnesses have damaged soil texture on the island.

The case of PT Bukit Merah Indah is currently being heard in District Court on charges of Tanjung Balai Karimun, environmental destruction and outside mining permits or illegal mining.

According to him, the prosecutor charges the case is not appropriate.

Prosecutors think he was supposed to snare the three defendants in this matter with the regional spatial planning regulations and laws of the coastal area management and small islands.

''We are pessimistic about the three defendants who were tried in court was found guilty, because the indictment is not quite right,''he said.

The three defendants who were tried, each Director of PT Bukit Merah Indah, operations manager and head of mining engineering company.

''The prosecutor should not use the mining laws and environmental laws, but laws coastal area management and small islands, and then rules on regional plan,'' he said.

PT Bukit Merah Indah is the largest bauxite mining company in Karimun regency. The company received a mining license covering approximately 174 hectares. While the public prosecutor charged the company had mining operations outside the permit area of ​​approximately 30.17 hectares. (kepri online daily/kabar kepri)