West Kalimantan Governor To Pontianak Regional Government: Land Burned By Forest And Land Fires Should Not Be Utilized For 3-5 Years

Illustration of forest and land fires extinguishing using helicopters or water bombings. (Between-Nova W)

West Kalimantan (Kalbar) Governor Sutarmidji asked local governments in all regencies or cities to impose strict sanctions on perpetrators of forest and land fires (karhutla) in West Kalimantan.

"The Pontianak City Government, I ask to be firm with the owners of the land that is burned or burned. This also applies to districts/cities in West Kalimantan, take firm action," said Sutarmidji, in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Tuesday, August 15, confiscated by Antara.

He also asked the local government to provide action efforts by installing a sign that the land was under the supervision of the local government.

"Especially for Pontianak, there have been rules since I became mayor, that the burned land, let alone burned, should not be used for 3 to 5 years. It must be installed with a supervisory sign that the land is under local government supervision," he said.

Sutarmidji suggested that the local government can coordinate with the police, the Kodim, and the regional police to check from the land owner. According to him, after all, the land owner must know that peatlands are prone to fires.

"Except for people who want to open land for agriculture of 2 hectares as existing regional regulations, but must also report to the village head or apparatus in their environment and have to wait for the fire to be completely extinguished. If there are no methods of enforcing such regulations, people will like it, we are the ones who bother to extinguish the fire," said Sutarmidji.

In addition, he also asked the Mayor of Pontianak that the location of the Parit Demang, Sungai Raya Dalam, to install a sign on the land, that it should not be used for 5 years.

"Otherwise, the province that will install the sign, may not be used for 5 years, if necessary I make it for 10 years. Then look for legal loopholes, I ask BPN to revoke his rights because he cannot manage the land properly, let him be neglected, it is clear that this is a violation," he said.

Sutarmidji also said that his party would continue to make preventive measures so that there would be no forest and land fires.

"I have asked the West Kalimantan Provincial BPBD Land Patrol Team to supervise and wet dry land that has the potential to catch fire around Pontianak City and Kubu Raya. For prevention efforts so that forest and land fires do not occur in the West Kalimantan region, BPBD has consolidated and coordinated with all parties," he said.

He added that his party also tightened supervision of fire-prone points, especially in 332 villages/kelurahan that could potentially catch fire. His party will also continue to provide education and counseling to the community.