Govt may revoke concession

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: The provincial administration is threatening to revoke a forest concessionaire's license for allegedly destroying a nature reserve on Yapen island, Yapen Waropen district.

Irian Jaya Deputy Governor Herman Monim was quoted by Antara as saying Tuesday that he had received reports from locals that the concessionaire, PT Mamberamo Alas Mandiri, had destroyed the nature reserve which was home to dozens of protected animal and plant species.

The local administration has declared Dawai island, East Yapen, off-limits for industrial development for fear of pollution and threats to the survival of endangered animals such as the Cendrawasih bird and wide-winged butterfly.

He said the local administration had granted the company, a PT Codeco subsidiary, a concession in 1990 to exploit a 696,000- hectare forest in Jayapura and Yapen Waropen districts.