Troubled Land, Siak Regency Government Reminds Village Head Of Responsibility If Stubborn Remains Working On Akasia

RIAU - The Siak Regency Government (Pemkab) in Riau Province has asked for acacia planting activities on land in Olak Village, Sungai Mandau District to be temporarily suspended. A number of local people reject the use of village land with the status of other use areas (APL).

Assistant I of the Regional Secretariat of the Siak Regency Government, Fauzi Asni, said that the 285 hectares of land is currently being worked on by PT Nusa Prima Manunggal (NPM) facilitated by Penghulu or Village Head (Kades) of Kampung Olak.

"If this suggestion is not heeded and cultivating land for planting acacia continues, then the head of Olak village is responsible for all the consequences," he said in Siak, Tuesday, April 2, which was confiscated by Antara.

He said the Siak Regency Government suggested this given the unclear status of the land. In addition, the status of APL has indeed been determined by the minister of forestry and the environment, but it has not been completed and is still in the permit of PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper.

"We should have waited for this status to be completely white, then the village government could use it, either for oil palm, acacia or whatever according to the wishes of the community and village government," he said.

Fauzi emphasized that Penghulu Kampung's cooperation pattern with PT NPM should be reviewed. He asked the head of Kampung Olak not to precede cooperation rather than clarify the status of the land.

"If there are things that people don't want, then the responsibility is the village head," said Fauzi.

Meanwhile, the Director of PT NPM, Rino Ardian, did not really respond to the proposal of the Siak Regency Government. Until now, his party is still working on the 285 Ha land. Even the planting of acacia has reached 20 Ha.

"We just respect the suggestions and conclusions of this meeting, of course we will discuss it internally first," he said.