Djamaludin denies blocking cement plant<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Forestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo
\ndenied accusations that he had hindered the construction of a new
\ncement plant by PT Eraska Semen Indonesia on 800-hectares of teak
\nforest in Central Java.<\/p>\n
\"I couldn't have obstructed them because President Soeharto's
\napproval is needed to covert forests in Java into other
\nfunctions,\" Djamaludin told journalists after attending a hearing
\nwith the Forestry, Agriculture and Transmigration Commission at
\nthe House of Representatives yesterday.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said that Soeharto, under a presidential decree,
\nhas barred the transformation of forests in Java, except for
\ninfrastructure and public facilities.<\/p>\n
Forests cover only 19 percent of the island, far below the
\nhealthy level of 30 percent.<\/p>\n
Eraska has got necessary licenses from the Investment
\nCoordinating Board to build a cement plant with an annual
\nproduction capacity of 700,000 tons in the Juwangi village in
\nBoyolali, Central Java. The plant was initially expected to start
\ncommercial production in 1997.<\/p>\n
The company's president, Tugiyono Makmoer, said last month
\nthat his company couldn't begin construction because Djamaludin
\nhad not yet approved the exploitation of the forest.<\/p>\n
Tugiyono said that his company filed a proposal with the
\nMinistry of Forestry last May but had not got a reply.<\/p>\n
\"If the proposal is not approved by the end of January, we'd
\nbetter quit the project,\" Tugiyono was quoted by Kompas as saying
\nlast month.<\/p>\n
Water catchment<\/p>\n
Minister Djamaludin noted yesterday that the forest to be
\nexploited by Eraska is a very important water catchment area. \"We
\nshould also study the environmental impact,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said his ministry, in coordination with the Indonesian
\nScience Institute and the office of the State Minister of
\nEnvironment, will conduct the study soon.<\/p>\n
\"The results of the study will be sent to President Soeharto
\nfor consideration,\" the minister said.<\/p>\n
Tugiyono assured that his company had obtained licenses from
\nthe Central Java governor and the Director General of Chemical
\nIndustries at the Ministry of Industry along with the BKPM. The
\ncompany has also signed a contract with Tianjin Cement Design &
\nResearch Institute of China to supply it with machinery.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Investment Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo said
\nyesterday that his office had no problem with Eraska's plan to
\nset up the plant.<\/p>\n
Sanyoto said his office had approved the establishment of 11
\nnew cement factories in Central Java. None of them have been
\nrealized.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, annually hit by a cement crises, badly needs new
\ncement factories or expansion of the existing cement plants to
\nmeet mounting demand.(rid)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/djamaludin-denies-blocking-cement-plant-1447893297",
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