During a working meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Monday, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq stated that the ministry had verified 175 companies in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
These companies, operating in the mining, palm oil, and forest utilization sectors, were found to have cleared approximately 1,805,615 hectares of land.
He noted that of the total, sanctions in the form of government-mandated environmental audits have been issued to 22 businesses, with an additional 45 units currently in the process of receiving them.
Regarding civil lawsuits, legal action has been taken against six companies in North Sumatra, with total claims amounting to Rp4.947 trillion (approximately US$290.7 million).
The Ministry of Environment is also pursuing criminal charges against six other companies.
On that occasion, Minister Nurofiq stated that his ministry had carried out an environmental study regarding the spatial and regional planning of the three flood-affected provinces.
"We have developed a detailed post-disaster housing plan, providing specific spatial guidance down to the sub-district level. This includes high-risk areas that should be avoided for building permanent housing, as well as locations that still have the carrying capacity for rapid housing development," he explained.
Based on the study, the ministry found a gap between Strategic Environmental Assessments (KLHS) and spatial and regional planning, which has exacerbated the impact of disasters in the provinces.
Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra were previously hit by heavy rainfall-triggered floods and landslides in late November 2025.
According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) records, the disasters claimed 1,207 lives and damaged over 300,000 homes.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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