I

n an effort to improve the country's stainability, the environment ministry has begun introducing the concept of it's new eco-pesantren program to 90 Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) in Yogyakarta.

State Environment Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta met Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X in the gubernatorial office complex in Kepatihan on Wednesday to discuss the program.

"Apart from the eco-pesantren program, the environment ministry is also developing other similar programs such as *green and clean campus', *eco-office' and *love flowers and animals'," Gusti said.

During the one-hour meeting with the Sultan, according to Gusti, they discussed developing the eco-pesantren program in 90 pesantren in Yogyakarta.

Through the program, he added, pesantren management and pupils would receive guidance and practical knowledge on how to preserve and develop the environment.

By joining the program, the 90 pesantren will in the future be expected to become environmental development centers that would provide models to the community through their actions in offering solutions to problems related to the environment.

Pesantren, according to Gusti, were deliberately chosen for the program because of their strategic position as esteemed institutions that would be able to offer solutions for environmental problems.

There are around 17,000 pesantren in Indonesia, he added, with student numbers amounting to about 4 million.

Gusti also said environmental problems in Indonesia were fundamental and needed to be solved quickly and comprehensively.

The Sultan said environmental problems in the country had been increasing at an alarming level and needed a cooperative effort on behalf of all stakeholders.

The Sultan highlighted the problems related to the decreasing water debit on the slope of Mount Merapi.

He said Yogyakarta had been losing around 4 million cubic meters of water annually. Other problems, he said, included air pollution largely due to vehicle emissions.