Mink farmers to shut up shop next year, reported compensation deal worth €180m

DutchNews, August 28, 2020 

Mink on a fur farm. Photo: Dzīvnieku brīvība via Flickr 

The government has decided to bring forward the closure of the Dutch mink fur industry from 2024 to next March, following outbreaks of coronavirus on at least 41 of the country’s 110 fur farms. 

Fur farmers begin killing young mink for their fur in November and have been told by farm minister Carola Schouten that they must shut up shop before the next breeding season in 2021, broadcaster NOS has reported. 

The mink on all 41 farms where coronavirus has been found – well over 160,000 – have already been killed. Before coronvirus hit, there were some 700,000 young mink on fur farms in the Netherlands, national statistics agency CBS said last week. 

There had been calls from some quarters to close down the industry immediately because of the risk coronavirus is spread to humans and because pockets of infection could remain. 

However, government health experts have said the risk to human health is not serious enough to merit such a move, NOS said. 

Sources suggest the government has come up with a €180m compensation package to offset the financial impact of early closure. Of this €40m is to pay for the cull and the rest will go to the farmers who have lost their income. 

Schouten is expected to go public with her plan after discussing it with the cabinet on Friday morning.

Mink farm clearances deal final blow to a dying industry: Volkskrant

DutchNews, June 8, 2020 

Photo: Peta.nl

As mink farm clearances continue in the wake of high levels of COVID-19 infection among the animals, the Volkskrant took a look at a dying industry. 

The Netherlands is home to some 128 mink farms concentrated in the south of the country, making it the third largest producer of mink pelts in the world after Denmark and China. 

The use of fur and the conditions the animals were kept had prompted calls to ban the industry since 1989 but didn’t result in a law prohibiting the practice until 2013. At the time, fur farmers were told they would get until the end of 2023 to make good on their investments. 

The impact of the impending ban on some farmers was such that a number of them committed suicide, the paper writes. But for some the fur trade – most of it is exported to China, Russia and Japan, and in Europe to Italy and Greece – has been a lucrative business. 

The biggest earner is Jos van Deurzen from Elsendorp who became a multimillionaire with an estimated fortune of €89m. Van Deurzen has at least ten fur farms in the Netherlands and abroad and also owns factories making mink feed and cages. 

Apart from the blow dealt to the industry by COVID-19, fur farmers had been struggling anyway, the paper says. Overproduction in the last few years has caused the market for fur to collapse and instead of €70 for a pelt the price has now halved. 

In September last year the sector came under the scrutiny of the tax office for suspected tax fraud and money laundering. Over €50m of revenue was thought to have been channelled out of sight via accounts in Luxembourg. 

It is not known whether the fur farmers will be compensated for the mink which have been gassed because of Covid-19 or whether farms will be allowed to start up again once the virus has disappeared, the Volkskrant said.

Komodo dragon attacks man in Indonesia: police

mysinchew.com, 2010-05-24 17:19

KUPANG, May 24 (AFP) - A komodo dragon attacked an Indonesian man as he ate lunch at a building site on one of the giant lizards' protected island habitats, police said Monday.

Construction worker Agustinus Jenaru, 20, was having a meal break when the powerful monitor, apparently attracted by the smell of food, crept up from behind and bit him on the arm, police official Mega Laksana Putra said.

"The man screamed for help. He put up a struggle and managed to free himself," Putra said.

There are no medical facilities on Rinca, a komodo sanctuary in eastern Indonesia, so Jenaru was flown to hospital on Bali island, he said.

Until recently komodos were believed to hunt with a "bite and wait" strategy using toxic bacteria in their saliva to weaken or kill their prey, before descending in numbers to feast.

But in 2005 researchers found that dragons' jaws are armed with highly sophisticated poison glands that can cause paralysis, spasms and shock through haemorrhaging.

The world's largest monitor lizard, komodos can grow up to three metres (10 feet) and weigh up to 140 kilograms (310 pounds). They are unique to a small group of islands in eastern Indonesia.

Jenaru hit the jaws of the giant lizard for several seconds until it freed him (telegraph.co.uk)

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Finding a cure for Indonesia's sick river

CNN, by Anna Coren, March 21, 2010

Collecting rubbish on the banks of the Citarum river outside the village of Sakamaju, on the outskirts of Bandung, Indonesia. It is one of the world's most polluted waterways.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Citarum River in Indonesia supplies around 30 million people with water
• Extreme pollution means many who live in villages along its banks often fall ill
• Poor sanitation compounds the problems for health of people and environment
• Asian Development Bank spending $500 million on river clean-up project

Bandung, Indonesia (CNN) -- The small village of Sukamaju on the outskirts of Bandung, West Java is nestled within mountains and rice plantations. To the naked eye, the scenery looks beautiful but on closer inspection, this ecosystem is supported by a water source that is sick and heavily polluted.

We've arrived to cover a story on the Citarum River, considered one of the most polluted rivers in Indonesia, if not the world. Around 30 million people rely on this water basin and it provides 80 percent of Jakarta's drinking water.

While this water is obviously treated for consumption in the larger town and big cities, in Sukamaju what's in the river is pumped directly to the community. The only filtration available is a towel or sock wrapped around a waterspout. The villagers use this water everyday to bathe, wash and cook.

But for drinking, they will boil it. Health experts tell us, this process will kill the bacteria but it certainly won't get rid of the heavy metals and toxic chemicals.

Near the village there are dozens of textile factories -- the main source of employment for many of the local people. They're also one of the biggest polluters of the Citarum River, spewing industrial waste directly into the waterways.

At one spot outside a plant, the water is black with pollution. Children play in it; crops are grown beside it.

A little further upstream, 10 meters before the water turns black, we meet a man who is washing plastic bags he will then sell. He says he does it here because of the strong chemicals in the water -- it helps him do his job more effectively.

We meet Nyai, a 60-year-old great grandmother who has a persistent skin infection. She has welts, lumps and dark markings all over her torso. Her daughter, grandchildren and great grandchildren all suffer the same condition, including 4-year-old Wildan.

4-year-old Wildan has spots covering his face and neck his family believe are from the polluted waters of the river.

I ask him to show me where it's itchy and he points to the spots covering his face and neck. Nyai says this skin condition only became a problem for her village after the textile factories set up in the 1980s.

Asked if she's angry about the water situation Nyai replies: "We have no choice, this is the only water we have. Everyone in this village only has this water source. If it's raining then our wells will get fresh water but if it's dry season, everyone must use this water."

Water, black from chemical pollution, runs down na channel outside a textile plant. Dozen of textile factories line the banks of the river by Sakumaju and toward the city of Bandung.

But it's not just the factories, using the Citarum as a dumping ground; the community effectively use it as an open sewer. As we walk through the village, children squat over canals and defecate directly into the water. Any garbage is thrown in the waterway or dumped on the side of the riverbank.

Re-educating local communities on how to look after the Citarum is one of the main projects for the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It's investing $500 million dollars over the next 15 years to try and save the Citarum and the communities who rely on it.

The ADB will work closely with Indonesian government to rehabilitate the entire river basin, addressing the issues of pollution, sanitation, and environmental problems like deforestation, siltation and flooding. Tom Panella from the ADB is fully aware of the enormous task in front of him and his team, but he remains hopeful .

"The Citarum is very sick and needs everybody to help bring it back to a state of health so all communities reliant on it can have a good quality of life and sustainable livelihoods," he says. "It's not dead but it needs a tremendous amount of work from all of us."

Two scavengers search for plastic garbage in Citarum River, Baleendah in Bandung on Sunday. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has declared the 270 kilometer river as the world’s most polluted river. (Antara/Rezza Estily)

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Man survives tiger attack in Jambi

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 03/13/2010 7:05 PM

A man is receiving an intensive medical treatment at Raden Mattaher Hospital in Jambi city after surviving a tiger attack on Thursday, Antara reported.

The tiger mauled Ishak, 37, late at night on Thursday as the sandalwood collector was resting inside a hut. One of his friends ran for a help and managed to release him from the carnivore.

Ishak suffered severe injuries to his neck, back and legs due to the attack.

“He survived after his friend pulled him from the tiger’s claws as the animal was trying to drag him into the forest,” Didiek Wurjanto, head of Jambi Natural Resources Conservation Agency, said.

Didiek said Ishak and his friends were collecting sandalwood at Berbak National Park.

It was the first case of tiger attack this year. The conservation agency data revealed eight people were mauled to death by tigers in Jambi last year.

Researchers Say Toxic Pesticides Poisoning Indonesia's Farmers

Jakarta Globe, Fidelis E Satriastanti, February 21, 2010

Farmers spreading fertilizer on a rice field in Kediri, East Java.

Nusa Dua. As Indonesia hosts an international meeting on toxic and hazardous chemicals here, a nongovernmental organization said on Sunday that an increase in the country’s pesticide use had resulted in the poisoning of farmers.

That claim was made by Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP) in its latest report, “Asian Regional Report on Community Monitoring of Highly Hazardous Pesticide Use.” The report was released before the 11th Simultaneous Extraordinary Meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, which opens today and runs through Wednesday.

The study was conducted in 2008 in collaboration with local partner organizations from eight countries — Indonesia, Cambodia, China, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam — with 1,304 farmers as respondents. It found that 66 percent of the active ingredients in pesticides used on vegetables, cotton, paddy rice and other crops were highly hazardous, according to PAN International classification criteria.

In Indonesia, the study was conducted by Gita Pertiwi, a green group focusing on pesticide issues. The group interviewed 100 farmers in Wonosobo, Central Java, in 2008.

Rosanna Dewi, executive director of Gita Pertiwi, said all of the respondents said they had suffered health problems, ranging from mild headaches to fainting and diabetes.

“All of the respondents, 39 females and 61 males, have found themselves manifesting symptoms caused by pesticides, from nausea and headaches to more serious problems like diabetes and cancer,” Rosanna said.

She said blood tests performed by health agencies had confirmed that 90 percent of the farmers had been poisoned by pesticides. She added that the problem was exacerbated by the rise in the different types of pesticides used in the country.

“In 2008, there were 1,702 kinds of pesticides [in Indonesia] coming from 353 companies. But now we have 1,822 from 273 companies,” Rosanna said. “The reason the numbers keep increasing is that [farmers] are tempted by rewards for buying certain products, for example, offers of a hajj trip.”

She added that farmers received little information on how to safely use of the pesticides.

“Based on FAO [UN Food and Agriculture Organization] standards, [farmers] should wear gloves, long sleeves, plastic coveralls and a hat, but they’ve always said it was too hot,” she said, adding that women should not be allowed to spray pesticides because it put them at risk of reproductive health problems.

Rosanna said the herbicide Paraquat continued to be used in the country, mostly on palm oil plantations.

“The substance is already banned based on the Rotterdam [Convention], but unfortunately we have not ratified it yet. It is very effective in killing weeds, but it can cause cancer much more quickly than other substances,” she said, adding that the Agriculture Ministry issued a ministerial regulation in 2007 that said only certified farmers could spray Paraquat.

PAN AP executive director Sarojeni Rengam said governments should phase out hazardous pesticides and phase-in non-chemical pest management approaches.

“Support needs to focus on the investigation, education and promotion of agro-ecological practices, biodiversity-based ecological agriculture and integrated pest management,” Rengam said.

Coal exploitation threatens ecology in east Kalimantan

Antara News, Monday, January 18, 2010 04:05 WIB

Samarinda, E Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - Business oriented coal exploitations in East Kalimantan are threatening the local ecology, environment observer Abrianto Amin said here on Sunday.

"Ecological balance will be seriously threatened if coal exploitations are exclusively oriented to commercial aspects while ignoring the social and environmental sectors," he said.

He said that regional government heads (district heads/mayors) were authorized to issue mining exploitation permits enabling them to secure a license easily.

"However, if the companies ignore the social and environmental aspects, they will pose a serious threat to the environment," he said.

The collapse of forest and timber industries has caused companies to switch their business to the mining sector in East Kalimantan, particularly to `black gold` (coal) mining, owing to the fact that the market for this commodity is stable both at home and abroad.

Abrianto Amin, who is also a former chief of the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) for East Kalimantan, said that actually mining companies had the obligation to restore and preserve the environment.

One of the programs that had to be carried out by the mining companies was to reclaim and plant trees in the areas where they had carried out excavations.

But the reclamation program was not running well because the companies were reluctant to meet their obligation as they had to spend a lot of money on carrying out the program, he said.

Red Cross prepares 400 volunteers on Semeru eruption

The Jakarta Post | Fri, 03/13/2009 4:26 PM

The Malang chapter of the Indonesian Red Cross has assembled 400 volunteers to participate in a team that is being prepared for an evacuation process on the possibility of the volcanic eruption of Mount Semeru.

The volunteers are local residents in villages spread around the hills of the mountain such as the Poncokusumo village, Ampelgading, Dampit and Tortoyudo.

A team has been made available by the Red Cross to train the volunteers on disaster management, evacuation methods, shelter management and simple medical treatments.

“It will be them who will give the first aid to victims, while also engaging in disaster management and making daily reports,” said head of Red Cross disaster management team Muji Utomo on Friday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Utomo predicted that the Semeru eruption would not have a significant impact on those living in Malang regency because the stream of lava from the crater would not reach residential areas.

“What we are concern of is the volcanic ash and the heat gas from the eruption,” he said. (and)

Women urged to fight for the environment

Agnes Winarti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 03/07/2009 2:19 PM 

 

Women vying for legislative seats in the general elections next month are being encouraged to get more active in promoting environmental issues.

 

"We aim to empower female legislative candidates and increase their public profiles by boosting their participation in environment conservation issues," the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) representative for Asia and the Pacific, Erna Witoelar said at a ceremony commemorating International Women's Day, which will take place on March 8.

 

"Environment awareness is a crucial issue related with the MDGs whose objectives, among others, is to create better health and education, reduce poverty and improve clean water," Erna said.

 

Some female legislative candidates and officials took part in an event Friday planting almost 750 trees, including mahogany, guava, star-fruit, and mango, at a 5,550-square-meter area in Rawasari, Central Jakarta.

 

"This tree-planting effort will be a waste if we do not continue to preserve them afterwards," Erna said.

 

The participants also constructed 500 biopores in an area formerly occupied by ceramics shops.

 

Central Jakarta Mayor Sylviana Murni said these biopores are expected to help absorb water and therefore ease flooding in the neighborhood.

 

"This open, green space will be the largest of its kind in the municipality," said Sylviana.

 

Syamsidar Siregar from the National Mandate Party (PAN) said the preservation of the environ-ment should involve everybody in society

 

"We need to raise awareness and participation among the people," said Syamsidar, who is also a Jakarta councillor running for her second term in the April elections.

 

Syamsidar said the need to convert 30 percent of the city into green and open spaces was urgent, with currently less than 10 percent of the city scape offering green space.

 

She promised to improve policy and budget allocations for environmental conservation activities if reelected.

 

Meanwhile, a candidate from the Democratic Party, Melani Leimena Suharli, highlighted the importance of educating children about healthy and clean environments.

 

"As a woman and mother, I think education about healthy, clean environment should start at a young age," she said.

 

Some other legislative candidates said the environment and health were inseparable issues.

 

"I believe when the environment is maintained, its occupants also live healthy lives. A healthy life leads to a healthy mind and overall, and much healthier society," said Endang Rudiatin, a candidate from the Crescent Star Party.

 

Golkar's Watty Amir, who will run in the upcoming elections, vowed that she would monitor the implementation of the law on waste approved by the House last year. Watty is a member of the House of Representatives commission overseeing energy.

 

According to the 2008 law on political parties, women should comprise at least 30 percent of the House. So far they only account for 11 percent.

Pramuka, Barito to move out to curb spread of bird flu

Triwik Kurniasari , THE JAKARTA POST , JAKARTA | Sat, 03/07/2009 11:50 AM

Of feathers and flu: Shoppers browse for birds being sold along Jl. Barito in South Jakarta. Around 200 bird, fruit and fish traders have refused to move from the area, following the city administration’s plan to relocate them in a bid to halt the spread of bird flu. (JP/Arief Suhardiman)

The city administration plans to relocate the two bird markets of Pramuka in Central Jakarta and Barito in South Jakarta to other locations away from residential areas, to help curb the spread of bird flu.

Edy Setiarto, head of the city’s husbandry, fishery and maritime agency, said possible new locations could include Ragunan in South Jakarta and Cibubur in East Jakarta.

“We have spread information [about the relocation] to the vendors. I hope all vendors can understand this plan for the sake of public health,” he said.

Pramuka Market, the biggest bird market in the city and perhaps even the country, is located in a densely populated area. The market is also known for its thriving underground trade in monkeys, owls, parrots and other exotic animals.

Although the police and administration offices are within walking distance of the market, the trade in rare and endangered animals there persists.

Barito is also a popular destination for bird lovers, with tropical birds, fish and rabbits on offer.

Deputy Governor Prijanto said he hoped that by April 2010, no live fowl would be sold at traditional markets in the capital any longer.

“The 2010 target is part of Jakarta’s long-term plan to halt the spread of bird flu,” he said.

The administration will also relocate poultry slaughterhouses, especially those located in residential areas.

The agency has named five new locations for poultry slaughterhouses, including Rawa Kepiting and Cakung in East Jakarta; Rorotan in North Jakarta; Petukangan in South Jakarta, and Kalideres in West Jakarta.

But only Rawa Kepiting is currently ready to accommodate the relocated poultry vendors, Edy said.

“The construction is 90 percent complete. We have provided slaughter areas that can hold more than 75,000 chicken, as well as cold storage facilities,” he added.

The 2-hectare Rawa Kepiting site will have the largest capacity, able to hold up 100,000 fowl a day.

“We’re now trying to improve the roads heading to the site. We need about Rp 6 billion [US$503,477] to build a new location,” Edy said.

“All fowl should be provided with health documents stating they are free from bird flu.”

Major slaughterhouses in Pulogadung, East Jakarta, will not be relocated because “we regard them as having good sanitation systems”, he added.

The planned restructuring of chicken farms and processing plants in the capital is in line with key points in the much-lauded 2007 bylaw on poultry husbandry.

Chicken traders registering to move to the new sites must have their poultry checked by the agency at a cost of Rp 25 per chicken.

Those missing the April target face six-month jail sentences and fines of up to Rp 50 million.

Some vendors have expressed objections to the plan, pointing out the new locations are far from the city center where their customers live.

The city administration also plans to work closely with neighboring cities like Tangerang in Banten, and Bekasi and Sukabumi in West Java. The cities supply large quantities of live fowl to Jakarta.

“We have urged the cities not to send livestock to Jakarta, and instead only supply meat,” Edy said.

The agency says some 1,342,000 fowl are kept inside and around residential areas in the capital. It also recorded some 1,200 illegal poultry slaughterhouses, 250 chicken shelters and 229 duck farms.

Komodo dragon attacks Indonesian park ranger

The Jakarta Post, Irwan Firdaus, The Associated Press, Jakarta | Wed, 02/25/2009 7:43 PM 

 

A Komodo dragon climbed a ladder to a park ranger's hut and mauled his hand and foot, officials said Wednesday. The victim received severe lacerations but appeared to be recovering.

 

The attack on Rinca, one of three islands where the world's largest lizard can be found in the wild, occurred Sunday when the animal entered the hut and lunged at the victim, who was sitting at his desk, said Daniel Ngongo, a Komodo National Park official.

 

The 46-year-old victim, Main, screamed for help and jumped onto his desk, clutching the neck of the still-snapping reptile. He then let go of the reptile and fled out the window as colleagues raced to his aid and used wooden sticks to force the dragon out of the hut.

 

Main, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, received more than 30 stitches, but appeared to be recovering.

 

"I'm lucky I survived," Main said from his hospital bed on nearby Bali island. "Nothing like this has ever happened to me ... in 25 years on the job. I've never been attacked."

 

Attacks on humans by Komodo dragons are rare. A Komodo dragon attacked and killed an 8-year-old boy in 2007 on Komodo island, the first recorded deadly attack on a human by one of the giant lizards in 33 years.

 

The reptile can grow up to 10 feet long (three meters) and weigh as much as 150 pounds (70 kilograms), have shark-like serrated teeth and a bite can be deadly. The reptile's saliva contains roughly 50 different known bacteria strains, so infection is a risk.

 

"He seems to be recovering," said nurse Adi Palguna. "He's been on antibiotics for the last three days, and there's no sign of toxin poisoning."

 

The reptiles, believed to number less than 4,000, can only be found in the wild on the eastern Indonesian islands of Komodo, Padar and Rinca.

RI yanks Chinese dairy-based products

The Jakarta Post,  Jakarta  

Indonesia is pulling 28 types of Chinese-made dairy products from stores for investigation, as a worldwide frenzy erupts over findings of tainted and severely hazardous dairy products from the mainland.

The products include Oreo cookies and wafers, Indoeskrim Meiji's Gold Monas ice cream, M&Ms milk chocolate candies, Snickers candy bars, and Nestle UHT milk, the Drug and Food Monitoring Agency (BPOM) said Tuesday.

The action is being taken following reports that four infants in China were killed and more than 6,240 sickened after consuming formula milk products contaminated with melamine -- commonly found in plastics, fertilizers and cleaning agents, and which is used illegally to boost the protein content of dairy products.

Despite the limited number of dairy products from China in the local market, BPOM head Husniah Rubiana Thamrin warned consumers to be alert to the possibility of melamine contamination in some dairy items, including yogurt, candy and ice cream.

"That's why we're pulling them from the market, to prevent any possible poisoning similar to what we've seen in China," she said, adding that all regional offices had been notified to pull the products from stores and test them.

"I have talked with all importers about the decision and they have agreed to report to us and help recall the products," she said on the sidelines of a hearing with the House of Representatives' Commission VIII, which oversees religious, social and women's affairs.

"We will immediately examine the products' content to check whether they contain the chemical substance melamine," she added.

Nestle Indonesia, through its head of communications, released a response saying that all of its dairy-based products were safe for consumption and contained no harmful substances.

"Our products are controlled routinely and thoroughly to ensure that they comply with local standards as well as Nestl* standards," said Brata T. Hardjosubroto.

Thomas Darmawan, chairman of the Indonesian Food and Drinks Producers Association, expressed similar views, saying consumers should not panic, because Chinese dairy products only accounted for a tiny proportion of the country's dairy product imports.

"I hardly see imports of raw material from China for the production of dairy products," Darmawan said as reported by Reuters.

Indonesia imports about 250,000-300,000 tons of powdered milk annually, mostly from Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

The BPOM's Husniah added Indonesia had temporarily banned imports of dairy products from China.

"We will resume the imports only after we have finished our investigations," she said. (ewd)

List of products: 

1.Jinwei Yogoo various fruit-flavored fermented milk
2.Jinwei Yogoo fruit-flavored fermented milk
3.Jinwei Yogoo plain milk
4.Guozhen full cream milk
5.Indoeskrim Meiji Gold Monas chocolate-flavored
6.Indoeskrim Meiji Gold Monas vanilla-flavored
7.Oreo wafer stick
8.Oreo chocolate sandwich
9.Oreo cookie
10.M&Ms milk chocolate candy
11.Snickers nugget biscuit
12.Snickers chocolate various flavors
13.Dove Choc
14.Yoghurt natural choice
15.Yoghurt flavored
16.Yoghurt ice bar with real fruit
17.Yili bean club matcha red bean ice bar
18.Yili bean club red bean ice bean
19.Yili prestige
20.Chocliz dark chocolate bar
21.Yili Superbean chestnut ice bar
22.Nestl* dairy farm UHT pure milk, 1 liter
23.Yili high-calcium low-fat milk beverage
24.Yili high-calcium milk beverage
25.Yili pure milk, 250 ml and 1 liter
26.Dutch lady strawberry-flavored
27.White rabbit creamy candy
28.Yili choice dairy frozen yogurt bar 

Source: Health Ministry

 

Riau's four main rivers badly contaminated: Local authorities

Rizal Harahap, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru

The four main rivers in Riau province are contaminated by hazardous levels of cadmium and zinc, posing a serious threat to the health of residents, say local authorities.

According to a recent study by the Riau Environmental Impact Management Agency, the cadmium and zinc levels in the Indragiri, Siak, Rokan and Kampar rivers have exceeded the maximum limits set by the government in a 2001 regulation.

Head of the agency's contamination control division, Makruf Siregar, said here Friday the cadmium level in the Kampar River reached 0.012 mg/liter, and 0.11 mg/liter in the Indragiri River.

That is far above the government-set limit of 0.01 mg/liter.

The zinc content has reached 0.18 mg/liter in the Siak River and 0.2 mg/liter in the Rokan River, above the limit of 0.05 mg/liter.

Provincial health office chief Burhanuddin Agung said high levels of cadmium and zinc posed a danger to humans.

"A high concentration of cadmium in the human body can cause anemia, teeth discoloration, loss of smell and kidney failure. The most serious effect of chronic cadmium poisoning is lung and prostate cancer," he said.

High concentrations of zinc can cause stomach ailments, nausea, anemia and a decrease in the levels of good cholesterol. It is also reported that inhaling large amounts of zinc, in the form of dust or fumes, can cause a short-term disease called metal fume fever.

Makruf said the cadmium pollution was caused by illegal gold mining near several tributaries in Logas district, Kuantan Singingi regency. He said miners here used hazardous metals in the gold purification process.

"Contamination in the Indragiri River was detected at least three years ago. Cadmium usually is used to purify gold and is often mixed with mercury. Even though we have not tested the mercury levels in the rivers due to a lack of lab equipment, we are sure the mercury level is also high," Makruf said.

He called on residents not to use water from the rivers for cooking or cleaning.

Makruf said the high zinc levels were caused by sand mining at several rivers in the province.

He said the environmental agency had asked the Kampar and Rokan Hulu regency administrations to put a stop to the mining activities.

"However, they have failed because sand mining is the main source of livelihood for poor families in the regency," he said.

Makruf said the agency had yet to bring the case to the courts, while waiting for prompt action from local authorities to manage the river pollution.

The Kuantan Singingi regency administration is reportedly planning to legalize hundreds of illegal gold mines to increase revenue from the mining sector.

Formaldehyde found in chicken, fish

JAKARTA (Jakarta Post) : The Jakarta administration detected formaldehyde in chickens and fish being sold Friday at the Rumput traditional market in South Jakarta.

The head of the business, marketing and quality control division at the City Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Maritime Agency, Enny Pudjiwati, said four out of 14 samples tested contained formaldehyde.

Samples were taken from six stalls at the market, with the suspect meat coming from four separate stalls.

Enny said people should inspect meat closely to determine whether or not it contains formaldehyde.

"Fish containing formaldehyde usually looks pale. It also feels rubber-like when poked," she said.

"Chickens that contain formaldehyde have a similar appearance, but they also have shiny flesh."

She said meat containing formaldehyde generally did not attract flies.

Enny said the agency was only able to inspect markets every month to make sure products being sold were safe for consumption.

"One of the obstacles we face is ... our limited budget," she said.

Sanur residents fighting dengue fever the natural way

Prodita Sabarini, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

A village in the Sanur beach area in Bali has succeeded in promoting natural ways to prevent the spread of Dengue fever, through the cultivation of the Liligundi plant.

Liligundi (Vitex Trifolia) is a low creeping plant, less than 5 m in tall, with stems covered in soft hairs. It has small spikes of lavender-colored flowers and gray-green silvery leaves. Its distinct odor which emanates from its branches and leaves can be used to deter mosquitoes -- carriers of the Dengue fever virus.

After three years cultivating the plant in the area, Sanur Kauh village in South Denpasar, has seen positive results with very few reports of the disease recorded since the program started.

Sanur Kauh village leader I Made Dana said he was confident that only a small number of people would contract Dengue fever in his area this year.

"The number of Dengue cases has dropped significantly after we promoted planting Liligundi in our neighborhood," he said.

In 2005 the number of dengue fever cases in Sanur Kauh reached 25 per month, he said.

"Now, the number has dropped to less than five per month," he said.

The village had come a long way in preventing dengue fever in the area, Dana said. During the rainy season in 2005, Sanur Kauh area was classified as in state of extraordinary occurrence (KLB), due to the high number of dengue fever cases reported at that time.

Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in clear water, consequently the rainy season facilitates the spread of the disease due to the increased area of suitable breeding habitat.

"Denpasar Mayor AA Puspayoga at that time called for action to fight dengue fever," Dana said.

"I responded by cultivating Liligundi in my area."

He ordered Liligundi to be planted in unused land and green areas in the village.

Now one can easily spot Liligundi shrubs next to the roadside when passing through Sanur Kauh.

Dana called on all households to plant Liligundi in their gardens and set up the Darma Sedana Group to develop incense from the leaves of the plant to be used as mosquito repellent.

Products from the group have also been sold in Surabaya and Jakarta. The home industry started up with a small investment of Rp 6 million, but has now developed into a prospective business.

He said the local residents had been happy to grow Liligundi in their gardens because it was useful and economical.

"They don't need to buy spray-repellents or lotions," he said.

"You can pick three or four branches from the tree and slap the bed or table to bring out its odor, and mosquitoes will stay away from that area," he said.

"You can also burn incense made of Liligundi branches," he said.

Dana said that the good thing about the plant was that it does not kill mosquitoes but just made them go away.

"So, we're not killing any creatures," he said.

Government hopes to tackle disease with sanitation

The extreme weather events of flood and drought, predicted to become more intense in the future, have been the most significant driver of outbreak of human diseases in the country. Below is the fifth article in the climate change mitigation and adaptation series.

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has acknowledged that extreme weather is behind rising numbers of vector-borne human disease cases including malaria, dengue fever, diarrhea and cholera.

But a government mitigation effort blueprint has yet to specify strategies for coping with the outbreaks that are becoming more frequent across the archipelago.

It says the government will conduct more public campaigns to promote a healthy environment and prevent climate-linked disease.

"With a healthy sanitation system, diseases like malaria, dengue fever and diarrhea, that spread through the air, can be minimized," the action plan says.

The government plan also covers research on illness caused by warmer temperatures and development of drugs for the so-called climate-change diseases, using local raw materials.

The government also plans to improve disease surveillance and develop early warning systems for weather-related disasters so people can be prepared for the health consequences.

The state ministry of environment has predicted the outbreak of malaria, dengue fever and diarrhea diseases will worsen due to climate change.

By 2070 annual cases of malaria per 10,000 people will be 20 percent higher than in 1989 when there were 2,705 cases, a ministry report predicts.

Dengue fever, in 2070, will be at 26 cases per 10,000 people while in 1989 there were only six.

Diarrhea cases in that year are predicted to be 934, triple the 311 cases recorded in 1989.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said climate change was estimated to be responsible for approximately 2.4 percent of worldwide diarrhea, six percent of malaria and seven percent of dengue fever in some industrialized countries.

It said that cholera and other water-borne diseases are on the rise in coastal countries and may be related to declining water quality, climate and algal blooms.

Climate experts said that higher temperature would be more pronounced in large cities because of urban heat island effects.

The direct health impact of higher temperatures on human health is heat stroke mortality, especially for older age groups.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) -- the United Nation's global body for assessing scientific knowledge on climate change -- predicted that by 2100 the global temperature could rise by between 1.1 and 6.4 degrees of Celsius, compared to the 1990 level.

An IPCC report on human development launched on the sidelines of the Bali climate conference says rising temperatures and more droughts will leave up to 600 million people facing malnutrition.

A United Nations Development Program (UNDP) report says about 1.8 billion people may face serious water shortages by 2080.

It said up to 332 million people in coastal and low lying areas could be displaced by flooding and tropical storms.

Animal safety checks to continue in capital

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

To ensure Jakarta is free of animal-related diseases, officials will continue to inspect goats and cattle for three days after the Islamic Day of Sacrifice, or Idul Adha, which fell on Dec. 20.

"I have instructed officials to continue checking animals for three more days," Governor Fauzi Bowo said Thursday after attending Idul Adha prayers at the City Hall.

During the prayers, Fauzi presented a cow to the head of the Jakarta Spiritual Management Center, Abdul Madjid S.

Some 17 cows and 55 goats left at the City Hall on Thursday were to be taken to a slaughterhouse in Cakung, East Jakarta.

The head of the city's animal husbandry, fisheries and marine agency, Edy Setiarto, said officials would check the health of animals both before and after their slaughter.

"I hope there will be no reports of anthrax as there were last year," Edy said.

Last year the administration was forced to ban animals from several locations in Depok, Purwakarta, and Bogor from being transported into the city when it was discovered they were infected with anthrax.

Almost 3,000 officials, including 265 veterinarians from the Bogor Agricultural Institute and 50 more from the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Association of Veterinarians, are expected to check the health of around 71,000 animals in some 2,200 slaughterhouses located in the capital.

Other officials have been deployed to check the health of animals in slaughterhouses throughout the municipality.

"We will check the condition of animals after they are slaughtered also. We will check things such as their kidneys, hearts and livers," said Chaidir Taufik, an official at West Jakarta's animal husbandry agency.

He said respiratory diseases had been the most common illness found in cattle and goats during the campaign.

"Some traders do not take care of the animals well," he said, adding that officials tell traders to treat their sick animals with antibiotics rather than sell them.

"Fortunately, at this stage there have not been any cases of anthrax reported," he said. (ewd)