Ministry Ready To Overcome Illegal Logging

Jakarta, Jan 31 (ANTARA) - The forestry ministry will shortly field its apparatuses to handle the increasing cases of illegal logging in a number regions in the country, a senior ministry official said. "The ministry will field its apparatuses from the directorate general for conserved natural forest protection (PHKA)," Forestry Ministry Secretary General Hadi Daryanto said here on Monday. He said that his ministry was ready to send the officials if the regional governments were no longer able to overcome illegal logging cases in their respective regions. "District heads are virtually given the authorities to overcome illegal logging problems in the regions," the secretary general said. He said that he had coordinated with Darori, director general for conserved natural forest protection, to handle illegal logging in Padang Island. Hadi said that based on Government Regulation No. 38/2007, the central government only had the authority to supervise conserved forest while those who had the right to supervise protected forest and production forest were the regional governments and the forestry services. "Actually, it is the second level government which has the right to overcome illegal logging in the regions or districts. We will field apparatuses if they the regional government is unable to do it," the secretary general said. Illegal logging are still allegedly rampant in the country`s forest areas, including in Padang Island.