Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra

President Megawati Soekarnoputri kicked off on Sunday a major regreening program at Lake Toba, North Sumatra, telling local people to learn from the past in which indiscriminate logging in the province caused severe environmental damage.

As a result of this damage, the provincial capital of Medan suffered massive flooding earlier this year, while the water level in Lake Toba, one of the largest lakes in the country, has steadily fallen.

During the torrential rains in January, Medan was paralyzed as water inundated most of the city. The city's airport was forced to close for several days when its runway was submerged. Material losses from the floods, which left four people dead and dozens of others missing, is estimated at Rp 12 billion (US$1.18 million).

The launch of the regreening programing on Sunday was not held at Lake Toba, which is a major tourist attraction, but at Tiara Hotel in Medan.

The President emphasized the need to conserve water catchment areas, saying that environmental protection was not only a problem for Indonesia, but also the entire world.

The program launch was highlighted by the handover of fruit seeds by Megawati to the regents of Asahan, Dairi, Karo, Simalungun, Tapanuli Utara and Toba Samosir, and the board members of the Foundation of Lovers of Lake Toba.

Megawati, who was accompanied by Minister of Environment Nabiel Makarim and Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno, said if the regreening program was pursued earnestly the results would be seen over the next few years.

Local people blame industrial complexes in the area for polluting the lake with toxic waste, causing health hazards and environmental damage.

The high level of pollutants in the lake has damaged the surrounding land and decreased the water level of the lake.

Representatives of the foundation told reporters at the State Palace in Jakarta last month that the lake's water level had dropped to 903 meters from the usual 905 meters.

Maintaining the water level of Lake Toba is necessary for the operation of a hydroelectric power plant located near the lake.

In June 1998, local residents demanded a mill owned by pulp and rayon fiber producer PT Inti Inodrayon Utama be closed because it posed environmental and health risks. This resulted in violent clashes between locals and company employees, who were concerned that they would lose their jobs.

The government suspended the mill's operation, but it is now up and running at partial capacity.

Before the suspension of its operation, Indorayon exported 70 percent of its annual production of 240,000 metric tons of hardwood pulp and 60,000 tons of rayon fiber.