Army gives Rp 1.5b to Flores victims
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Deputy Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Darsono will arrive in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday to donate Rp 1.5 billion (US$174 million) for victims of floods and landslides.
The donation will be used to help rebuild public facilities and houses destroyed by the disasters last April, Kupang Wirasakti Military Commander Col. Moeswarno Moesanip said.
More than 50 people were killed and thousands of houses damaged or destroyed as floods and landslides swept through Ende, East Flores, Ngada and Manggarai regencies.
Moesanip said the donation was to show the Army's empathy for people in Flores.
During the visit, Gen. Darsono will also formally open a military social program for villagers in Maumere. --JP
Bapedalda investigates forest fires
PEKANBARU, Riau: A joint team from the Riau Environment Management Agency (Bapedalda) and relevant authorities are investigating at least 11 plantation companies accused of setting fire to land, which caused forest fires.
Riau Bapedalda head Ahmadsyah Harofie declined to reveal the names of the companies, citing ethical reasons. However, he said, the 11 firms were based in the province, including one in Kampar regency.
The companies have been accused of clearing their land between May and June using banned slash and burn methods.
Harofie said the inquiry team had questioned a number of witnesses with expertise in forest fires, land damage and corporations.
The investigation followed reports of hot spots discovered at plantations under control of the 11 companies between May and June.
"The owners of the firms are being questioned," Harofie said.
He promised to submit soon a report on the matter to the local prosecutor's office for further investigation. "That's our job," he added. --Antara
Logging causes losses of US$670m
PALANGKA RAYA, Central Kalimantan: Years of unchecked illegal logging, blamed for widespread forest destruction across the country, caused around US$670 million in losses to the state annually, a senior forestry official said on Monday.
Citing a report from the World Bank, head of the provincial forestry office Tuah Pahoe said the amount was simply the value of tax that should have been received by the government from loggers.
"What is more worrying for us is the fate of some 30 million people whose lives are directly and indirectly related to forest assets," he said.
Pahoe said his office would host a workshop in cooperation with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) on Wednesday to find a way of reducing illegal logging in Central Kalimantan.
The workshop would feature the provincial governor as a keynote speaker and senior officers from the National Police Headquarters and Ministry of Forestry. Representatives from plantation companies would also participate.
Pahoe said that illegal logging had worsened during the current reform era and some 75 percent of wood circulated in Indonesia was expected to stem from illegal logging.--Antara