"Due to this incident, we will consider conducting a thorough evaluation," he stated when met after attending the Human Capital Summit in Jakarta, Tuesday.
According to Presidential Regulation Number 55 of 2022, the management and supervision of mining business permits (IUP) for rock commodities are delegated to the provincial level.
Hence, the authority to grant permits and conduct supervision rests with the governor, Lahadalia noted.
"If we see any misuse (during the evaluation), it is possible to return the permit to the central (government)," he explained.
On a separate occasion, the ministry's Director General of Minerals and Coal, Tri Winarno, deployed a team of mining inspectors to conduct a technical field investigation.
Currently, the government has yet to decide on measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) stated that the landslide in the Gunung Kuda C mining area, Cirebon District, was a workplace accident, not a natural disaster.
According to satellite imagery monitored by BNPB, mining activities causing land degradation in Gunung Kuda have been detected since 2009 and have increased significantly since 2019.
Due to more than 15 years of mining, the Gunung Kuda slope gradient has reached 60 degrees, or far above the safe threshold, and has significantly increased the potential for landslides.
As of Monday, BNPB reported that 21 victims had died and were successfully evacuated from the landslide site. One of the most recently identified victims was Sudiono, 51, a resident of Girinata Village, Dukupuntang Sub-district, Cirebon District.
Meanwhile, data from the joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team indicate that four people remain missing.
Related news: West Java shuts down Cirebon mining site after fatal landslide
Translator: Putu Indah S, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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