"The 46 percent damage of the river basins was recorded in 2006, and presently the damage may reach 50 percent," Walhi Executive director TM Zulfikar said here on Tuesday.
According to Zulfikar, 46 percent of the damaged river basins cover an area equal to 714,742 hectares out of the total 1,524,624 hectares of river basins.
Zulfikar further said the damage of Krueng Aceh, Krueng Peusangan and Krueng Tamiang river basins has reached over 50 percent, while the damage to Krueng Tripa and Krueng Jambo Aye river basins is about 30 percent.
"Forest encroachment and illegal logging has led to the decline of the environment," he said.
Further, the Krueng Geukueh river basin in North Aceh has been damaged by waste pollutants from the PT Pupuk Iskandar Muda fertilizer factory that have killed the fish in the river.
For these reasons, Zulfikar has urged the government to carry out reforestation of the river basins.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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