Environment Minister Hanif Faisol said in Jakarta on Tuesday that the step aims to strengthen supervision and guarantee environmental protection, following the government's decision to not revoke the company's mining business license (IUP).
"In the near future, we will assign an environmental audit to add safeguard to mining activities at GAG," he informed during a meeting on the waste issue at the Presidential Palace.
He noted that for nearly four years now, PT GAG Nikel has demonstrated a high level of environmental compliance, as reflected by its blue and green PROPER ratings.
However, supervision will still be stepped up, in keeping with President Prabowo Subianto's directive, considering that the mining site is located on a small island with a sensitive ecosystem, he explained.
He emphasized that even though PT GAG Nikel operates on a small island, the government will still refer to the applicable laws and regulations, namely Law No. 1 of 2014 and Law No. 27 of 2007 concerning the Management of Coastal Areas and Small Islands.
According to Faisol, the regulations need to be implemented in the field, not just conceptually.
As reported earlier, the government has revoked four IUPs in Raja Ampat since the sites are located in a protected geopark area.
The companies include PT Anugerah Surya Pratama on Manuran Island, covering an area of 1,173 hectares, and PT Nurham in Yesner Waigeo, covering an area of 3 thousand hectares.
They further comprise PT Mulia Raymond Perkasa on Batang Pele Island and Mayaifun Island, covering an area of 2,193 hectares, and PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining on Kawe Island, covering an area of 5,922 hectares.
Meanwhile, the government has decided that PT GAG Nikel would remain operational because it is outside the geopark area. Located about 42 kilometers from the center of the Raja Ampat Geopark, it has been determined to be closer to North Maluku area.
Therefore, the company's mining site, where operations were launched in 1972, has not been included in the protected conservation zone.
The Raja Ampat Geopark is a conservation area covering the four main islands in Raja Ampat district.
The four islands are Waigeo Island in the north (including the Wayag Islands in the northernmost area), Batanta Island, Salawati Island in the middle, and Misool Island in the south.
The geopark area also includes the waters between the large islands and the surrounding islands.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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