JatimVoice.com – To mitigate landslide risks along the lahar river of Mount Kelud in Nglegok, Blitar, the Blitar Police Chief and local officials conducted a reforestation effort, planting 500 trees in the area on Wednesday (30/4/2025).
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| Source: suarajatimpost |
Blitar Police Chief AKBP Titus Yudho Uly stated that the tree-planting initiative aims to restore the natural environment and reinforce efforts to combat illegal sand mining in the Kelud lahar flow, which has now been completely shut down.
"Today, Blitar Police, the Military District Command, and the Blitar Regent joined forces to plant trees along the Kali Bladak lahar river. The goal is clear—to reduce landslide risks," Yudho emphasized.
Yudho noted that only small-scale manual mining remains operational in the area. He stressed that all mining activities must obtain official permits and comply with three key obligations: community outreach, road repairs, and land reclamation.
"Reforestation is a shared responsibility—not just for the police, military, or local government. Illegal mining has stopped, but manual operations must follow strict regulations to prevent environmental damage," he added.
Blitar Regent Rijanto highlighted the collective duty to rehabilitate mined areas, warning that unchecked exploitation could endanger nearby communities.
"Kali Bladak’s lahar river is heavily exploited for sand mining, with severe environmental consequences. We must regulate these activities to ensure sustainable management," Rijanto urged.
The initiative underscores Blitar’s commitment to balancing economic activity with ecological preservation in the disaster-prone region.
Tags
Blitar
environmental conservation
illegal sand mining
Kelud lahar river
landslide mitigation
national
reforestation