Ministry Of Environment And Forestry Seals 2 HGU Lands Related To Forest And Land Fires In Banjar, South Kalimantan

Gakkum Ministry of LHK Kalimantan Region has sealed the land due to forest and land fires in the area of PT. MIB covering an area of 2,570 hectares, in Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan, Tuesday (31/10/2023). (ANTARA/HO-KLHK)

BANJAR - The Karhutla Supervision Team of the Law Enforcement Center of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (Gakkum KLHK) of the Kalimantan Region sealed two areas of land for the Right to Use (HGU) of PT Monrad Intan Barakat and the HGU area of PT Borneo Indo Tani related to forest and land fires in Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan. Director of Forest Prevention and Security of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Sustyo Iriyono, said that his party was committed to enforcing the law against forest and land fires. "This burning location has been our target of surveillance," said Sustyo in a written statement in Banjarmasin, Antara, Tuesday, October 31. Sustyo said that the KLHK Balai Gakkum KLHK Karhutla Supervisory Team followed up on the KLHK Gakkum Intelligence Center Team regarding many hotspots with high confidence levels based on data from https://sipongi.menlhk.go.id/ in South Kalimantan Province. Furthermore, the KLHK team accompanied by the Environment Agency (DLH) of South Kalimantan Province and the Public Housing, Settlement and Environment Agency (DPRKPLH) of Banjar Regency verified the field to a burning location located in the HGU area of PT Monrad Intan Barakat and the HGU area of PT Borneo Indo Tani in Banjar Regency. "The team then sealed the burned land," said Sustyo. Based on satellite imagery analysis, during September and October there were 81 hotspots in the HGU PT Monrad Intan Barakat land area and 55 hotspots on the HGU PT Borneo Indo Tani land. As for the burned land based on satellite imagery analysis, Sustyo revealed, it reached 2,570 hectares in the HGU area of PT Monrad Intan Barakat and 1,917 hectares on the HGU PT Borneo Indo Tani land. As of October 27, 2023, Sustyo revealed that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry had sealed 49 forest and land fires consisting of 16 locations in South Sumatra, 11 locations in West Kalimantan, 16 locations in Central Kalimantan and two locations in South Kalimantan, four locations in Riau. The company's status consists of eight PMA companies (Singapore, Malaysia, China, Japan, India, Srilanka and Luxemborg), 31 PMDN companies and 10 community-owned land locations. "Currently, the Intelligence Center team of the KLHK Gakkum continues to analyze hotspot data and satellite imagery," said Susyto. Sustyo emphasized that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry will seal and enforce the law against forest and land fires on corporate and individual land. Meanwhile, the Director General of Gakkum LHK Rasio Ridho Sani stated that the Manggala Agni, TNI, Polri troops, the Forestry Service of South Kalimantan Province and the Fire Care Community (MPA) were trying to stop the smog caused by forest and land fires. In addition to continuing blackouts, strict law enforcement must be carried out. Strict law enforcement measures begin with sealing of burned locations, "” said Rasio. Rasio revealed that the sealing step on the burned land was the first step in strict law enforcement. Rasio reminded that permit holders or location owners must be absolutely responsible for land and forest fires and must make efforts to increase the capacity of forest and land fires prevention and control, including the preparation of infrastructure and necessary resources. "This sealing must be a lesson for corporations and the burning community," said Rasio. Rasio added that he would use all law enforcement instruments that are under the authority and layered law enforcement to implement through administrative law enforcement, including the imposition of sanctions for revocation of permits, and civil compensation lawsuits. The ratio said that layered criminal law enforcement was carried out, not only the imposition of basic crimes with a threat of 10 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 10 billion, but also additional penalties, including confiscation of profits and improvements due to criminal acts (recovery). "“Strict action, enforcement of this layered law," Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya told us, so that there is a deterrent effect and does not repeat itself, "” said Rasio Sani. Rasio Sani added that a maximum sentence must be given to the perpetrators of forest and land fires because forest and land fires smoke is very disturbing to health, areas affected by smoke are widespread so that many people are affected. Rasio said, because forest and land fires caused the ecosystem to be damaged, disrupt community activities and economy and caused losses to the state because they had to spend a very large cost of overcoming fires. “ Forest and land fires are serious crimes. Punishment for forest and land fires must be maximized so that there is a deterrent effect and does not repeat itself so that people do not continue to suffer from smoke, "” said Rasio.