Indonesian police may probe coal miners over deforestation-linked floods
The Indonesian police say they might investigate coal companies for their alleged role in recent deadly floods that struck southern Borneo.
Critics accuse the companies of degrading the water catchment in South Kalimantan province through deforestation and sedimentation, which they allege amplified the impact of the rain-fueled floods.
The government, meanwhile, is under fire for issuing more permits than the previous three administrations.
Activists warn the environmental degradation in the province will only get worse under a slate of controversial deregulation measures passed by the government last year, which they say caters to coal companies at the expense of the environment.