In a statement released in Jakarta on Wednesday, BNPB head Suharyanto affirmed that law enforcement in forest and land fire cases is being consistently pursued through the law enforcement task force.
“To date, 35 forest and land fire incidents have been legally processed, with 44 suspects. This is a concrete step to provide a deterrent effect and prevent people from clearing land by burning,” he said.
He emphasized that the majority of forest and land fires in Riau are not caused by natural factors but are primarily due to human activity, with individuals suspected of deliberately burning land for agricultural purposes.
During a coordination meeting on forest and land fire management in Pekanbaru city, Riau, he reiterated that law enforcement will continue to be strengthened.
Individuals and corporations proven to have violated environmental management regulations will face severe sanctions.
“It’s not because of the weather or drought, but because they’re actually being burned. We’ve been dealing with this for years, and the pattern is always the same. This must be stopped,” he said, highlighting the recurring nature of intentional fires.
Suharyanto urged the public to actively participate in prevention efforts by reporting any indications or suspicious activities that could lead to land fires to local authorities.
“Immediately report to the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), or village officials if you see anyone burning. Don’t let it happen, because the impact could spread and endanger everyone,” he cautioned.
Earlier, the Ministry of Environment reported a sharp increase in fire data for Riau, with 790 detected hotspots and 27 active hotspots.
The burned area expanded from 546 hectares to nearly one thousand hectares in just 24 hours.
“The distribution of hotspots is concentrated and close together, indicating a pattern of repeated and organized burning,” Environment Minister Hanif Faisol said, underscoring the deliberate nature of the incidents.
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Translator: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Primayanti
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