Sarwono alarmed at mangrove destruction<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatdja is
\nalarmed by the rapid destruction of mangroves because of
\nintensive deforestation within the last few decades.<\/p>\n
The number of mangrove trees has plummeted from 22 million
\ninto two million, Sarwono said in a hearing at the House of
\nRepresentatives yesterday.<\/p>\n
Sarwono pointed out that the development of the coastal lines
\nfor tourism, agriculture and mining projects, as well as
\nresidential areas were to blame for the destruction. Many
\nhabitats of marine biodiversity have been destroyed as well, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"Millions of hectares of mangrove forest in coastal areas have
\nbeen converted to housing complexes, hotels, golf courses, shrimp
\npond projects and offshore mining projects,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Mangroves are crucial to protect rare species of animals and
\nmarine biodiversity, Sarwono said, adding that Batam, Bintan,
\nBali and Jakarta have lost the most.<\/p>\n
To cope with the problems, Sarwono said, the ministry has
\nentered into a cooperation with the Ministry of Forestry and the
\nNational Development Coordinating Agency to identify areas that
\nmust be rehabilitated.<\/p>\n
Last year, the government declared 85 locations, spanning
\nabout 10 million hectares of the waters surrounding the
\narchipelago, as marine conservation areas to protect marine
\nbiodiversity, he said.<\/p>\n
By the end of 2000, the government will have developed 10
\nmillion hectares of marine conservation areas.<\/p>\n
In Bali, mangrove is used as barrier against sea abrasion.
\nThe ministry and local authorities issued regulations in 1992
\nprohibiting people from cutting mangroves.<\/p>\n
In 1990\/1991 Bali authorities launched a campaign to save
\nmangroves along the east coastal areas of Sanur. The project was
\nheld in cooperation with the ministry of forestry and Japan
\nInternational Cooperation Aid (JICA) agency.<\/p>\n
Toxic waste<\/p>\n
Sarwono also said that the ministry has informed some
\nembassies on the government plan to reexport 104 containers of
\nhazardous waste which remain in some ports here.<\/p>\n
Of that number, 65 are from the Netherlands. The rest were
\nimported from Germany, the United States, South Korea, Japan,
\nSingapore and Hong Kong, he said.<\/p>\n
Sarwono, who is also head of the Environmental Impact
\nManagement Agency (Bapedal), said Bapedal has requested the
\neconomic department of the Foreign Affairs Ministry help realize
\nthe plan.<\/p>\n
There are also another 125 imported containers containing non-
\nhazardous waste. \"These can be recycled here,\" he said, adding
\nthat some 56 containers have already been reclaimed by the
\noriginal owners.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said the containers entered Indonesia before the
\ndecree of trade minister issued in 1992 which bans any form of
\nwaste importation.<\/p>\n
Some 21 containers entering the Tanjung Priok port after the
\ndecree was issued are now under examination of the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office, Sarwono said.<\/p>\n
Nuclear<\/p>\n
Commenting on the government's plan to build nuclear power
\nplants, Sarwono said the project was still in the preparatory
\nstages, and might not start until after the year 2000.<\/p>\n
\"It is not yet finalized and is only to serve as an
\nalternative to other energy sources such as natural gas, fossil
\nfuel, oil and solar power,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said that he has urged BATAN (the National Atomic
\nEnergy Agency) to put strict controls on nuclear safety, the
\ntechnology for nuclear waste treatment, decommissioning and the
\nsocial effects of the project.<\/p>\n
Decommissioning refers to the final fate of a reactor after it
\nis closed down.<\/p>\n
He also said that project commission team should not base its
\nchoice of contractors on politics and other considerations but on
\ntheir professionalism only. (prs)<\/p>",
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