Allocate funds to save nature

SORONG, Maluku: A Sorong councilor from the United Development Party (PPP) has requested the Sorong municipality to provide funds to preserve the environment.

"It is about time that the Sorong municipality specifically funded efforts to preserve the environment especially because Sorong was selected to be the nation's environment preservation pilot project," Hasmi Toha said.

Hasmi, who is chairman of the PPP faction in the Sorong regency Legislative Council, added that several of the Sorong territorial waters have been damaged by irresponsible professional anglers who use hazardous chemicals, such as potassium, and explosives.

"It will take ten to 30 years to restore the territorial waters to normality," Hasmi said, adding that the polluted waters are in the Missol district, the North and South Waigeo waters and the Salawati waters, where lobster are harvested.

Hasmi said that the preservation fund would try and prevent any further environmental damage to the sea, land or air.

Hasmi was quoted by Antara as urging local residents to help environmental preservation efforts as well as reporting violators of regulations to the authority. (14)