Govt plans environmental audit on Newmont, Freeport
Saturday, February 26 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
Minister of Environment Sonny Keraf said Friday that the government was planning to conduct an environmental audit on gold mining firm in Irian Jaya PT Freeport Indonesia, gold mining firm in North Sulawesi PT Newmonth Minahasa and oil and gas firm PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia in Riau.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar, Sonny said that there been indication that the three firms had serious environmental problem.
He said that the government would take a more serious action against companies violating the environment.
He admitted that there were also other companies that the three mentioned above which have damaged the environment.
Sonny said that the government was in the process of selecting independent auditors to conduct the environmental audit on Freeport and Newmont.
Sonny said that the government would conduct an environmental audit on Freeport because the result of the audit work by international auditor appointed by the gold mining firm was being doubted.(*)