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