Neglected land to be cultivated

BOGOR (JP): Bogor regency is planning to use about 20,000 hectares of idle land in the city, an officer said Saturday.

Duddy Sujudi, head of the regency's agency for development planning, said plots which had been neglected by landowners for over 20 years would be cultivated.

"The land will be used to produce food crops to help ease the current food crisis," he said.

Duddy explained that Bogor regent Eddie Yoso Martadipura would prepare a regulation to temporarily take over idle plots without inflicting losses on the part of the owners.

"The regent has assured that owners will never lose their ownership status," he said.

The regent, said Duddy, will cooperate with military officers, businesspeople and local people to work on the land.

He said the Armed Forces commander had given a positive response to the idea. (24/09)