"Forest and land fires are a serious threat to the environment, so those responsible must be held responsible," the ministry's Director General of Law Enforcement Rasio Ridho Sani said in a public forum held by the Communication and Information Ministry in Jakarta Monday.
Investigations narrowed down on the identity of the suspects involved in the forest and land fires in West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan, Sani said in his presentation.
The perpetrators of the fires in West Kalimantan are individuals with the initial UB from Ambawang District, Kubu Raya Regency, responsible for burning an area of 274 hectares and PT SKM in Muara Pawan Subdistrict, Ketapang District, who burned an area of 800 hectares.
Then, there is PT ABP in Sungai Melayu Rayak Subdistrict and Nanga Tayap Subdistrict, Ketapang Regency responsible for set afire 80 hectares; PT AER in Benua Kayong Subdistrict, Matan Hilir Selatan Subdistrict, and Sungai Melayu Rayak Subdistrict in Ketapang District who burned 100 hectares.
In Central Kalimantan, companies suspected of forest and land fires include PT KS in Kota Waringin Barat Regency responsible for setting an area of 709 hectares on fire and PT IFP in Kapuas Regency for five hectares.
"The area of burned land could still increase because it was only at the beginning of the investigation," Sani explained.
In addition to finding the suspect, Forestry and Environment Ministry has also sealed the land owned by 52 companies.
The ministry also sent 288 warning letters to companies.
Law enforcement needs to be carried out to build a culture of compliance in the community to not burn forests, Sani said.
"In addition, it also has a deterrent effect, both on individuals and companies concerned," he added. (INE)
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