Log thefts rise 10 times

SEMARANG: Within the past three years, theft of teakwood across Central Java has multiplied 10 times from 120,000 cubic meters in 1997 to 1.2 million cubic meters in 1999, an official said.

Spokesman for the state forestry company Perum Perhutani in Central Java, Kamil Wirasuparta, said as of May this year his office reported another 618,000 trees were stolen.

"Illegal logging has resulted in deforestation of more than 50,000 hectares of teakwood forest area," Kamil said on Saturday.

He acknowledged that although the looting had increased, his office could not do much to stop the illegal practice.

Perhutani controls 638 million hectares of state forest and some 3.25 million hectares of community forest. It provides 308,000 hectares for teakwood trees. (bby)