Govt launches environment fund<\/p>\n
Tb. Arie Rukmantara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government announced on Tuesday it would provide for the
\nfirst time special funds to help selected regional
\nadministrations preserve their local environments.<\/p>\n
A total of Rp 112.5 billion (US$11.2 million) of special
\nfunds, called the Special Allocation Fund for the Environment
\n(DAK LH), had been allotted in the 2006 state budget.<\/p>\n
State Minister for Environment Rachmat Witoelar said the funds
\nwould be distributed to 330 cities and regencies in 30 provinces
\nthat needed support to preserve their natural resources and
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
State Minister for Environment Rachmat Witoelar said this was
\nthe first time such special allocation funds had been designated
\nfor the environment. The funds would act as a stimulant to
\nimprove regional administrations' performance in carrying out
\nsustainable development.<\/p>\n
\"This program is not just a serious commitment by the central
\ngovernment to protect our environment, but it is also an
\nexpression of concern about the minimal amount of funds allocated
\nby regional administrations to protect their natural resources
\nand environment,\" he said, after officiating at the launch of the
\nspecial allocation fund.<\/p>\n
Secretary to the Office of the State Minister for Environment
\nArief Yuwono explained that for 2006, each of the selected cities
\nand regencies would get between Rp 300 million and Rp 1.7 billion
\nto be spent on prevention, restoration and monitoring of their
\nrivers.<\/p>\n
\"As the nation faces a serious water crisis, next year's funds
\nwould only be distributed to improve water quality in the
\nregions,\" he said, adding that the funds would be disbursed on
\nJan. 2.<\/p>\n
\"But the money will only go to cities and regencies that we
\nconsider fiscally and technically unable to preserve their
\nenvironment with their own money.\"<\/p>\n
He said that around 100 municipalities and three provinces --
\nJakarta, Riau and East Kalimantan -- would not receive any of the
\nfunds as his office considered their budget allocations for the
\nenvironment to be relatively high.<\/p>\n
\"We will only support regional administrations with budget
\nallocations for the environment of less than Rp 50 million,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The state ministry's regulation on technical guidance for DAK
\nLH 2006 usage stipulates that the funds can only be used for the
\nprocurement of water quality monitoring devices.<\/p>\n
However, according to the 2006 state budget, the amount
\nrepresents only 1 percent of the total Rp 10 trillion in special
\nallocation funds designated to education, agriculture, health,
\nmaritime and fisheries, construction of regional facilities and
\ninfrastructure.<\/p>\n
The executive director of the Indonesian Forum for Environment
\n(Walhi) Chalid Muhammad slammed the policy, saying that such a
\nsmall amount of money would be better used for improving the
\ncapacity of regional staff to deal with environmental issues.<\/p>\n
\"About 89 percent of our rivers are heavily damaged. The
\nbudget is not sufficient to restore all of them. Moreover, rivers
\nare trans-regional; restoring their condition can't be solved by
\nsectoral (means). There must be an integrated effort ...
\nDistributing money to regional administrations won't solve the
\nproblem,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Chalid suggested that the funds be used to educate officials
\nin regional administrations and the community generally about
\nenvironmental issues.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-launches-environment-fund-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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