According to ministry data, there are 400 active palm companies in the southern part of Sumatra, of which 277 are in South Sumatra province.
"All those companies are required to prepare their personnel, equipment, and funds to mitigate forest and land fires," he said here on Saturday.
According to Nurofiq, Indonesia is the second-largest global contributor to smog, mostly caused by recurring forest and land fires.
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This has called Indonesia's commitment to global emission reduction into question, as forest fires can increase greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, he explained.
"We must not let the country suffer losses due to the failure of permit-holding (companies) to adhere to regulations," he said.
Nurofiq affirmed that the ministry has notified all palm forest concession holders in southern Sumatra that are expected to heed the instruction to mitigate forest and land fires.
The provincial and district authorities will also conduct on-site monitoring and evaluation of the companies, he added.
The minister warned that failure to report progress on forest fire mitigation measures to the authority within two weeks could invite sanctions under Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environment Protection and Management.
The strict measure reflects the government's commitment to preserving the environment, he said, adding that company executives who fail to take measures to check forest fires may be jailed for one year.
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Translator: M Imam Pramana, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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