445 inmates
445 inmates get remissions
MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: A total of 445 prison inmates in West Nusa Tenggara province will have their jail sentences reduced and 39 more will be released in conjunction with Independence Day on Aug. 17.
"The reduction of the inmates' jail terms will be announced by Governor HL Serinata during a ceremony at Mataram Penitentiary before the Independence Day ceremony," the head of the provincial Justice and Human Rights Office, Slamet Martawardaya, said on Tuesday.
The government regularly awards remissions in conjunction with Independence Day and major religious holidays such as Idul Fitri and Christmas. -- Antara
;ANTARA;STE; ANPAa..r.. Focus-Banjarmasin-bicycles JP/5/FOCUS
Mayor goes to work by bicycle
BANJARMASIN: As part of a campaign to cut fuel consumption in Banjarmasin city, the mayor, deputy mayor and numerous local officials will begin riding bicycles to work.
The plan was agreed on during a meeting on Tuesday. However, the officials will only be biking to work on Fridays, when administration employees have an exercise period at work.
"It is no big deal. It is only on Fridays and we can do it as exercise," said an official. -- Antara
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More vaccines to stop bird flu
KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: An additional 200,000 doses of a vaccine to fight avian influenza will be provided by the Directorate General of Agriculture to the Southeast Sulawesi provincial administration, an official said on Tuesday.
"The vaccines, along with necessary equipment, will arrive soon," said the deputy head of the provincial Agriculture Office, Imam Subagjio.
He said the additional vaccines would be distributed to poultry farmers in the province whose chickens had been affected by the virus.
His office earlier distributed 42,000 doses of the vaccine to farmers. -- Antara
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Artesian wells to solve crisis
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Facing a water crisis, the East Nusa Tenggara provincial administration will turn to artesian wells, an official said.
According to a land survey, there are 5,100 potential artesian wells in the areas worst hit by the water crisis in the province.
"Many areas in East Nusa Tenggara are already suffering from a lack of water and the rain is not expected to return until sometime around December," the head of the provincial Resettlement Office, Dibrael Klaping, said on Monday.
But limited funds means the administration will not be able to exploit all of the potential well sites. In the 2005 provincial budget, Rp 3.8 billion has been set aside to develop wells.
"Due to limited funds, we will only be able to drill 13 wells," Klaping said.-- JP