Green fines to be imposed in 2003

SURABAYA, East Java: The Office of the State Minister of the Environment announced on Thursday it would impose environmental fines starting in 2003.

Sudharto Prawoto Hadi, an expert staff with the state minister, claimed that the revenue would be part of a concept of "green" gross domestic product.

The fines would initially encompass depletion of the environment next year, but in the years after it would include depletion and destruction of the environment.

At present, the national income is calculated based on gross domestic product, without including costs of environmental damage. -Antara