East Kalimantan land critical

East Kalimantan land critical

BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan: Some 2.9 million hectares of land
in East Kalimantan were in critical condition, of which 1.4
million hectares were within forest zones, a provincial
environment official revealed.

Kasful Basran, head of the provincial agency for environmental
impact control, told a forest and groundwater seminar in Balik
papan on Monday that the serious damage resulted from fires,
logging and timber theft.

"The forest destruction indirectly reduces the quality and
quantity of water in river catchment areas, and directly causes
floods in several parts of East Kalimantan besides river sedimen
tation," he added.--Antara