Samarinda. The governor of East Kalimantan has announced a plan to stop issuing land-use permits for mining and plantation concessions in the province's forests.

"Starting from this year, there will be no more permits for land lend-use for coal mining and forestry activities," East Kalimantan governor Awang Farouk Ishak said on Thursday.

Awang said he was confident banning the awarding of concessions for mining and logging would not hamper the province's economic growth. He said the measure was necessary to protect the environment for the longer term.

A land permit, known as a IPPKH, is required for companies wanting to carry out economic activity in forestry areas.

Awang said the government would still issue licenses for infrastructure projects, such as power plants or roads. But he emphasized that the government would tighten the monitoring of the permits it does decide to issue.

"After the permit is issued the progress of the development would be tightly monitored because we don't want the permit to be misused," he said. "Excessive land conversion is very concerning and will affect the effort to achieve food security status."