Rizal gets serious about reforestation program
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan
North Sumatra Governor T. Rizal Nurdin has instructed all regents and mayors to speed up reforestation programs in their areas, using the Rp 28 billion in reforestation funds allocated by the central government last month, according to the head of the provincial Forestry Ministry Office Darori.
After meeting with the governor, Darori told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that the governor had told him to coordinate with regional administrations to deal with environmental problems in the wake of recent floods.
Citing Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare Yusuf Kalla in his visit to flood-hit areas on Tuesday, the governor said that deforestation had triggered the floods, which affected more than eight districts in the province.
The floods left four people dead and 10 people were reported missing.
Minister Kalla asked the North Sumatra administration to manage the forests better, so as to prevent more floods in the future.
Darori admitted that the forests in the province had been destroyed, blaming forest concession holders who had improperly turned the forests into plantation sites.
"A total of two million hectares of forest have been converted into plantation estates," Darori said.
Records held by the Forestry Ministry office indicate that, as at April 20, 2001, North Sumatra had a total of 3,675,918 hectares of forest, 1,034,909 hectares of which - located in 11 regencies and mayoralties - were declared to be in critical condition.
"The most severely damaged forests are located in Karo, South Tapanuli, Mandailing Natal and Dairi," Darori said.
He said that the exploitation of forests by concession holders had been illegally backed by Forestry Ministry officials and security officers.
"Financial problems have become the main constraint for the Forestry Ministry in conducting reforestation. Therefore, in the future, regional administrations (regents and mayors) will be in charge of reforestation programs starting this month," he said.
Thirteen regencies and mayoralties have received reforestation funds as part of the central government's 2001 budget.
Mandailing Natal received Rp 9,843,684,200, Nias Rp 3,989,685,000, Labuhan Batu Rp 3,375,879,900, North Tapanuli Rp 2,375,879,900, South Tapanuli Rp 2,454,987,900, Dairi Rp 1,853,165,400, Central Tapanuli Rp 709,335,900, Karo Rp 472,011,600, Deli Serdang Rp 195,133,300, Langkat Rp 477,183,700, Simalungun Rp 787,170,200, Asahan Rp 187,222,500 and Toba Samosir Rp 569,578,000.
In a separate interview, the deputy speaker of the province's Legislative Council Hasrul said that regents and mayors should spend the money in a transparent manner. "They must work hard to implement the programs. The money should be used properly based on the programs, therefore public accountability on the use of the money will be needed."