"from nothing to everything"
Based
on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, Sawahlunto is a city with the
second-lowest poverty rate in Indonesia, after the city of Denpasar, Bali.
Sawahlunto also the second highest per capita income in West
Sumatra, where livelihoods largely driven by the mining sector and
jasa.Sawahlunto is one among a number of cities are located in the Bukit
Barisan mountain range in West Sumatra, in the reign of the Netherlands in
1888, Sawahlunto start a miner when cash settlement of 5.5 million golden
implanted by the Dutch government to build a coal mine concession facilities
Ombilin, these settlements continue to grow into a small town with a population
of employees and the bottom line is mine workers.
The
discovery of coal reserves in Sawahlunto city have prompted the Dutch East
Indies government to build a railway line to the town of Padang in distributing
coal. The construction started in 1889 and completed in 1896. The railway line
connecting the city of Padang is in addition to the city Sawahlunto, also
reached other cities such as the city of Solok, Pariaman city, city of
Bukittinggi, Padang Panjang town, and the town Payakumbuh. However, due to
declining coal production since 2000, the activities of coal transportation by
rail stop completely.
After
more than a hundred years of coal that has been exploited has reached about 30
million tons, and the remaining reserves of more than 100 million tons.
Nevertheless, the future of coal mining Ombilin is unclear, because the
reserves are still there can only be exploited as an underground mine.
Eksploitsi whether or not depends on the price and market demand for coal and
technology, in addition to the implementation of coal mining is also being
re-experiencing orientsi by a growing spirit of decentralization. Whatever
happens with this Ombilin coal mining, government and society Sawahlunto
Sawahlunto determined to make as a city-based mining. This is the link between
governance and mining Ombilin new Sawahlunto city, which remains to be developed.



