Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq told the House of Representatives (DPR) on Wednesday that law enforcement in land-use supervision would be part of the government's response to the floods and landslides.
He said the ministry had reviewed environmental documents, especially those in Batang Toru, North Sumatra.
"Starting Monday, all company executives identified through satellite-image analysis as contributing to the logs will be summoned to give explanations to the Deputy for Law Enforcement," he said.
The Ministry of Environment earlier identified eight companies operating in the Batang Toru basin, ranging from palm-oil plantations to gold-mining firms.
"We will immediately begin investigative steps. Given the high number of victims, we cannot grant any exemptions. The law must be enforced. There are already too many victims," Nurofiq said.
He also recommended aligning regional spatial plans with watershed capacity, controlling permits in critical areas, rehabilitating ecosystems, and integrating climate mitigation and adaptation into spatial planning.
According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as of Wednesday morning, floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra had claimed 753 lives, with 650 people missing and 2,600 injured.
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Translator: Prisca, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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