TNKS Forest Illegally Converted into Oil Palm Estates: Sumatra

By Barrie | June 26th, 2007 | No Comments

Residents have started turning Seblat National Park (TNKS) forested land in Jambi province into coffee, oil palm, rice and corn plantations, especially from Muaraimat to Sungai Penuh in Kerinci regency.

A group of Antara News journalists visiting various regions stretching from Sarolangun, Merangin, Kerinci to Solok Selatan, observed farmers converting parts of TNKS into coffee, oil palm and corn estates.

Without fear, the farmers were also planting cassiavera which has a high economic value in the TNKS forested land.

The Jambi provincial administration, as Governor Zulkifli Nurdin had repeatedly said, had banned the villagers from cutting trees in TNKS, which the international community has regarded as “lungs” of the world.

The ban had been directly announced to the local people, because the removal of trees may reduce the water volume of Batang Merangin River whose water is supplied to the 180 megawatts (MW) hydro-electric plant in the area.