The Banyuwangi Regency government and the police have only passed the buck when it comes to illegal gold mining by local people. These activities have contaminated Lampon River with mercury. "Just ask the police," Hary Cahyo, head of Banyuwangi's Industrial, Trade and Mining Service, said on Tuesday last week. He said he did not know there were scores of gold-ore panning sites in Pesanggaran subdistrict.

The Banyuwangi Police were awaiting the local