PENGENDALIAN PENCEMARAN DI DAERAH ALIRAN SUNGAI (DAS) KAHAYAN SEBAGAI AKIBAT KEGIATAN PERTAMBANGAN EMAS DI KOTA PALANGKARAYA KALIMANTAN TENGAH

The aim of this study is to describe the pollution control of polluted Kahayan watershed resulted from gold mining activites in Palangka Raya, Kalimantan Tengah. In Kahayan watershed, especially in the Rungan river subwatershed, there can be found many illegal gold mining activities involving the application of traditional gold processing technology using mercury. The usage of mercury by small-scale, ilegal gold miners is the leading cause of increasing water turbidity level in Kahayan watershed, causing it to exceed the acceptable level of water quality standards. This study particularly analyzes the role of Palangka Raya local government in the pollution control of Kahayan watershed. The research method used in this study is empirical method. The research findings indicate that the water pollution control efforts implemented by Palangka Raya local goverment are still insufficient, which is mainly caused by several things: the absence of binding regional regulations concerning water pollution control, a lack of public awareness in preserving the environment, and poor anctioning and law enforcement practices