Squatter families to be resettled

PALANGKA RAYA, Central Kalimantan: More than 87,200 families of forest squatters in the province are to be resettled in the one-million-hectare peat moss area being developed into an agricultural project, Antara reported yesterday.

The agency quoted Rukmana Sardjadidjaja of the Office of the State Minister of Environment as saying that President Soeharto ordered the program. A total of 300,000 families to be moved to the peat moss area.

Rukmana said social and cultural approaches are being used to help smoothen the resettlement process.

Of the one million hectares earmarked for the project, 586,700 have been declared suitable for plantation and horticulture projects.

Each family is to be given 2.25 hectares of land. (swe)