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Padang, sumbarsatu.com - The Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Padang has urged a joint fact-finding team (TGPF) to investigate and investigate the case of an explosion in a coal mining pit in Salak Village, Talawi District, Sawahlunto City, which killed 10 workers and injured 4 - injured, Friday (9/12/2022).
The purpose of forming the TGPF is to hold legal accountability to PT Nusa Alam Lestari (NAL) which is responsible for the operational production of the coal mine.
"The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the National Police as well as related parties must immediately form an independent TGPF to investigate the causes of the explosion in the mine pit for legal accountability to PT NAL. And it is urgent to carry out a thorough evaluation of the deep mines in Sawahlunto. We found that deep mining regulations are still not properly in place to ensure worker safety," said Diki Rafiqi, Head of SDA LBH Padang to sumbarsatu, Tuesday (13/12/2022) in Padang.
As with previous experiences, incidents like this are usually regarded as mere disasters without any legal accountability to those who should be held responsible.
"Regarding this problem, LBH Padang suspects that there was a fatal mistake made by the owner of the mining business. This heartbreaking incident would never have happened had the environmental documents been implemented or vice versa the environmental documents that had been prepared had not taken these risks into account," Diki Rafiqi explained.
From the data collected by LBH Padang, PT NAL is suspected of not complying with the Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 5 of 2018 concerning Occupational Health and Safety in the Work Environment regarding chemical threshold values.
"Of course, deep mines have a high risk of encountering natural substances that endanger the safety of mining workers," he explained.
In relation to this case, LBH Padang has sent a letter requesting information regarding environmental documents owned by PT NAL.
"We also ask for the results of periodic supervision carried out by the Department of Housing, Settlement Areas, Land Affairs and the Environment (PKPPLH) and mine inspectors," he said.
As previously reported, on Friday 9 December 2022, there was another explosion in a coal mining pit managed by PT NAL in Sawahlunto City. This incident resulted in 10 workers losing their lives and 4 others suffering from injuries. PT NAL) conducts coal production operations covering an area of 94.2 hectares. In terms of licensing, PT. NAL obtained a second extension permit through SK 570/1338-Periz/DPM&PTSP/VII/2020 which is valid until 5 July 2030.
“The mine explosion incident at PT. NAL is a matter of irony in the implementation of mining business permits. A serious evaluation must be carried out by the Sawahlunto Environmental Service and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) and other parties," he explained. SSC/MN
