Reports on famine denied

Reports on famine denied

PALANGKARAYA, C. Kalimantan: Governor Warsito Rasman denied a
press report yesterday that more than 5,000 people were facing a
famine in remote areas of Barito Utara district.

"Don't write such a sensational story. How could a famine
occur in Central Kalimantan?" he was quoted by Antara as saying
at the opening of a workshop on regional development.

Although drought had been hindering the ferrying of food up
river to the province's hinterlands, no one was short of food, he
said.

A local daily said yesterday that 5,279 people in the
province's Barut hinterland were short of rice. A source close to
Antara said the Barito river was so low that it was hard to ferry
food to at least six villages along its tributary, the Babuat
river.

To prevent a hike in food prices, especially during drought,
the local authorities are subsidizing transportation on the
river. (swe)