RAPP's plan to increase output meets opposition<\/p>\n
Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau<\/p>\n
An environmental organization has urged the Riau provincial
\nadministration to prohibit pulp and paper mill PT Riau Andalan
\nPulp and Paper (RAPP) from increasing its annual output because
\nit would adversely affect the environment.<\/p>\n
Tropika Foundation said any increase in the mill's output
\nwould certainly encourage forest plundering, especially in
\nprotected forests, since its timber estates would not be able to
\nsupply enough logs as raw material for the mill.<\/p>\n
Harijal, chairman of the foundation, said the company had
\nquietly increased production to 1.8 million tons of pulp and
\npaper annually from the current 1.1 million.<\/p>\n
RAPP, the largest pulp and paper industry in Southeast Asia,
\nis located in Pelalawan regency, some 75 kilometers east of
\nPekanbaru, capital of Riau province.<\/p>\n
According to Harijal, around 99 percent of the company's raw
\nmaterial was taken from natural forests, and he therefore feared
\nthat any increase in output would further damage the forests.<\/p>\n
\"Only some 35,000 cubic meters of raw material are taken from
\nthe company's timber estates,\" Harijal told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Rampant illegal logging in Bukit Tiga Puluh and Kerinci Seblat
\nNational Parks have disturbed the habitats of protected species
\nand the ecosystem in the province.<\/p>\n
Nationally, legal production of wood is only 12 million cubic
\nmeters, while the national capacity of the related-wood industry
\nreaches G63 million cubic meters. Environmentalists said illegal
\nlogs make up the difference.<\/p>\n
According to Harijal, PT RAPP holds a concession to totally
\ndestroy 191,750 hectares of natural forest to convert it into a
\ntimber estate (HPH-TI) and another 330,000 hectares for an HPH-TI
\nreserve.<\/p>\n
A company in possession of an HPH-TI concession is allowed to
\nfell all the trees in the natural forest and convert it into a
\nmonoculture forest.<\/p>\n
He said that in trying to find raw material, PT RAPP had also
\nformed partnerships with 19 timber companies and 24 cooperatives
\nand farmer groups that produce timber.<\/p>\n
According to Harijal, the 19 partner companies are expected to
\nconvert some 208,678 hectares of natural forest into timber
\nestates, while the cooperative and farmer groups are expected to
\nconvert some 21,751 hectares.<\/p>\n
He also accused the company of buying undocumented logs that
\nare felled illegally.<\/p>\n
According to the environmentalist, letters urging that the
\nincrease in RAPP's production be rejected were sent to the
\nPresident, the industry and trade minister, the environment
\nminister, the forestry minister and the Riau governor on Jan. 31.<\/p>\n
\"But we have not received any response,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim Hassan, the company's president, was not available for
\ncomment on Wednesday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rapps-plan-to-increase-output-meets-opposition-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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