Green fines to be imposed in 2003

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