Plant thievery will be punished

JAKARTA (JP): Bogor Mayor H. Eddy Gunardi has ordered his subordinates to take stern action against people found guilty of damaging and stealing plants in the city's parks.

Stern measures are needed to prevent people from interfering with the Bogor administration's efforts to maintain the beauty of Bogor.

"We have to deal with people who do not care about the preservation of nature because they are ruining the city's reputation as a 'town amid the garden'," Eddy was quoted by Antara as saying.

"Don't let the town's beauty be damaged by such irresponsible people. Anyone who deliberately damages and steals city park plants should be severely penalized," the mayor said.

The mayor's order was made following the disappearance and the destruction of a number of ornamental plants.

Several days after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Meeting (AELM) at the Presidential Bogor Palace on Nov. 15, plants and flowers that graced the city parks were stolen. Others were trampled.

Bogor police have arrested one of the thieves.

The garden city of Bogor, which is famous for its botanical garden with its rich collection of plants and flowers, including the world's largest flower -- Rafflesia Arnoldii -- looked more enchanting after the AELM gathering. City gardens were neatly pruned and an enchanting look prevailed along main streets.

In response to the mayor's order, the Bogor sanitation and park affairs offices have deployed officers to be on stand-by at a number of parks 24 hours a day.

The mayor has requested Bogor citizens help protect and take care of the gardens and city parks. He also said that his mayoralty is striving to further improve the city's order, beauty and cleanliness.

"We will encourage citizens to take part in the government- sponsored Friday Cleanup Movement to help maintain cleanliness in the city." (23)