"In the draft regulation, the government will allow disposal of mining waste at sea. Currently, such an improper dumping is occurring at Senunu Bay," Walhi`s Mining and Energy Campaigner Pius Ginting said here on Friday.
A gold mining company disposed its waste amounting to 160,000 tons a day, or 21 times than waste produced in Jakarta, into Senunu Bay, West Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province, he said.
Senunu Bay is rich of biodiversity an included in the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) map, he said.
Walhi is waiting for a verdict by the Supreme Court (MA) over its lawsuit against the environmental affairs ministry for allowing the multinational mining company to dispose its waste into Senunu Bay, he added.
"If the government is committed to the protection of sea for the future generation, it has to make serious actions to rehabilitate damaged seas and coastal areas," he stated.
(D016/F001/O001)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
