Police seize illegal logs in C. Lombok<\/p>\n
Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara<\/p>\n
The police have confiscated thousands of mahogany logs stolen
\nfrom three protected forests in Central Lombok regency, West Nusa
\nTenggara, and pledged to thoroughly investigate the case.<\/p>\n
According to the police's preliminary investigation, the
\nfelling of mahogany trees in the protected forests was
\nconducted by the local forestry office, which justified it by
\napparently abusing a regental decree.<\/p>\n
Adj. Sr. Comr. Dewa Putu Maningkajaya of the provincial police
\nheadquarters confirmed on Thursday that some of the confiscated
\nlogs had been sent to Mataram as evidence and that three
\nofficials of the forestry office in Central Lombok were being
\nquestioned.<\/p>\n
\"The police discovered that mahogany trees had been felled in
\nprotected forests, which is against Law No. 41\/1999 on forestry.
\nWe will investigate the case thoroughly,\" he said at his office.<\/p>\n
He said the police were questioning three officials of the
\nregental forestry office as witnesses in the case.<\/p>\n
He also regretted that live trees located near water sources
\nwere also cut down, threatening the environment and water supply
\nto thousands living near the protected forests.<\/p>\n
He said the police were investigating two offenses related to
\nthe case -- the felling of protected trees and abusing a regental
\ndecree.<\/p>\n
\"The regental decree allows only the felling of dead trees,
\nbut live trees were cut down instead,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Central Lombok regent issued Decree No. 48\/2003 on April 1
\nregulating the planned establishment of a team to oversee the
\nusage of confiscated timber and logs and dead trees felled in
\nprotected forests.<\/p>\n
Out of the hundreds of cubic meters of logs taken from
\nprotected forests in Pondok Gedang, Talun Ambon Peseng and
\nLingkuk Lima, 50 cubic meters have been sent to the provincial
\npolice headquarters as evidence in the case.<\/p>\n
Maningkajaya said the logs were confiscated in cooperation
\nwith the provincial administration.<\/p>\n
He added that over the last two months, more than 350 cubic
\nmeters of mahogany logs had been traded on the local black
\nmarket.<\/p>\n
Mahogany logs, which cost Rp 1.2 million (US$146) per cubic
\nmeter on the local black market, are used to make carved
\nfurniture.<\/p>\n
Chief of the forestry office in Central Lombok L. Aqil said
\nthat the logs were from dead trees in the protected forests and
\nthat his office had obtained permission from the regent to cut
\nthem down and sell them.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-seize-illegal-logs-in-c-lombok-1447893297",
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