Mega launches Lake Toba regreening
Mega launches Lake Toba regreening
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra
President Megawati Soekarnoputri kicked off on Sunday a major
regreening program at Lake Toba, North Sumatra, telling local
people to learn from the past in which indiscriminate logging in
the province caused severe environmental damage.
As a result of this damage, the provincial capital of Medan
suffered massive flooding earlier this year, while the water
level in Lake Toba, one of the largest lakes in the country, has
steadily fallen.
During the torrential rains in January, Medan was paralyzed as
water inundated most of the city. The city's airport was forced
to close for several days when its runway was submerged. Material
losses from the floods, which left four people dead and dozens of
others missing, is estimated at Rp 12 billion (US$1.18 million).
The launch of the regreening programing on Sunday was not held
at Lake Toba, which is a major tourist attraction, but at Tiara
Hotel in Medan.
The President emphasized the need to conserve water catchment
areas, saying that environmental protection was not only a
problem for Indonesia, but also the entire world.
The program launch was highlighted by the handover of fruit
seeds by Megawati to the regents of Asahan, Dairi, Karo,
Simalungun, Tapanuli Utara and Toba Samosir, and the board
members of the Foundation of Lovers of Lake Toba.
Megawati, who was accompanied by Minister of Environment
Nabiel Makarim and Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno, said if
the regreening program was pursued earnestly the results would be
seen over the next few years.
Local people blame industrial complexes in the area for
polluting the lake with toxic waste, causing health hazards and
environmental damage.
The high level of pollutants in the lake has damaged the
surrounding land and decreased the water level of the lake.
Representatives of the foundation told reporters at the State
Palace in Jakarta last month that the lake's water level had
dropped to 903 meters from the usual 905 meters.
Maintaining the water level of Lake Toba is necessary for the
operation of a hydroelectric power plant located near the lake.
In June 1998, local residents demanded a mill owned by pulp
and rayon fiber producer PT Inti Inodrayon Utama be closed
because it posed environmental and health risks. This resulted in
violent clashes between locals and company employees, who were
concerned that they would lose their jobs.
The government suspended the mill's operation, but it is now
up and running at partial capacity.
Before the suspension of its operation, Indorayon exported 70
percent of its annual production of 240,000 metric tons of
hardwood pulp and 60,000 tons of rayon fiber.
About 400 meters from the site of the regreening program's
launch, hundreds of people staged a rally to express concern over
the destruction of forests in North Sumatra.