Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - Some European countries including Germany and the Netherlands are ready to help build a canal system in a network of neglected canals in a 1.45 million-hectare peatland area in Central Kalimantan, Governor A Teras Narang said here Thursday.

The two European ountries would help rebuild, close and realign the old canals based on a master plan being drawn up by the Netherlands, he said.

The Netherlands would finalize the master plan in March next year, he added.

The combined length of the neglected canal network was 4,000 km, four times the length of Java island, but many of the canals had to be closed because they passed through a deep depression in the peat land area.

"The new canal system will hopefully reduce forest and bush fires during the dry season. The system will hopefully also serve as a water catchment area during the wet season," Narang said.

The master plan, he said, would also help the local people find alternative livelihoods.

The governor said the Dutch master plan to build a new canal system would not overlap the Indonesian government`s plan to develop the neglected peat land area.