Aceh – Indonesia, Type C excavation activities in Lhokseumawe City leave behind lingering issues regarding licensing and oversight. Out of 10 excavation sites recorded by the Lhokseumawe City Government, only one is reported to have applied for a recommendation to secure a permit from the Aceh Provincial Government.
Head of the Lhokseumawe Investment, One-Stop Integrated Services (DPMPTSP), and Manpower Office, Safriadi, stated that the data represents preliminary findings gathered by the local government.
“Based on our initial mapping, there were ten type C excavation business sites. However, we cannot currently confirm whether all ten remain active, as licensing authority rests with the province,” Safriadi told AJNN on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
According to Safriadi, of those 10 locations, only one project has applied for a recommendation from the Lhokseumawe City Government. That site is located in Blang Weu Baroh Village, Blang Mangat District.
The recommendation was issued by the Lhokseumawe City Government on May 12, 2026, as part of the procedure to obtain a type C excavation permit from the Aceh Provincial Government.
However, the Lhokseumawe City Government has yet to receive confirmation on whether the application has been approved or remains under processing.
Safriadi explained that authority over type C quarry permits lies at the provincial level. The Lhokseumawe City Government only holds the power to issue recommendations, while the actual licensing process rests entirely with the province.
“Permitting for type C excavation falls under provincial jurisdiction. The city government only issues recommendation letters. Meanwhile, processing takes time, even as residents continuously require fill soil material,” he said.
This situation, Safriadi noted, creates unique challenges for field oversight. The local government bears the brunt of the impact whenever excavation operations trigger environmental problems, despite lacking direct licensing power.
“On one hand, we see that licensing authority lies with the province, so monitoring should also be handled by the province. If the local government ignores this and the environment suffers damage, the local government gets blamed. It puts us in a difficult position,” he said.
Consequently, Safriadi expressed hope that the central government will re-evaluate this division of authority, particularly regarding the licensing and monitoring of type C excavation activities.
“The central government should amend the regulations so that type C quarry permits, including both licensing and oversight, are handed back to city or regency governments,” he added.
Previously, the Lhokseumawe City Government requested a temporary halt to all type C excavation activities across the city. This measure was taken as a precaution against potential moderate to heavy rainfall in early October 2026.
Safriadi noted that the directive followed an on-site inspection conducted directly by the Mayor of Lhokseumawe across several quarry locations.
During the field review, officials assessed site conditions, identifying several spots that required urgent attention due to safety concerns and environmental impacts.
“The temporary suspension directive applies universally, covering both permitted operations and those operating without permits,” Safriadi told AJNN on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
He added that the temporary halt also factored in weather forecasts from BMKG regarding potential moderate to heavy rains across several regions of Aceh in early October.
High-intensity rainfall is believed to compromise soil stability in excavated areas. Risks of erosion, landslides, and environmental degradation must be anticipated, especially when extraction sites lie near residential areas, roads, public facilities, or critical infrastructure.
Under these conditions, operations across the 10 type C excavation sites previously recorded by the Lhokseumawe City Government are once again under scrutiny, particularly regarding permit statuses, field activity, and the effectiveness of oversight.***