Riau Police Chief Strictly Monitors Land From Karhutla, Cooperative Companies Mandatory

(Photo: Doc. Antara)

PEKANBARU - The case of forest and land fires (karhutla) has occurred at several points in Riau. Riau Regional Police Chief Inspector General Mohammad Iqbal emphasized that the company should cooperate in protecting land from fires.

"The company must also carry out routine patrols in their respective areas. If there is a land fire, we will not indiscriminately, we will immediately brush it," he said, quoted by Antara, Saturday, March 16.

The Riau Provincial Government is known to date from March 13 to November 30, 2024, it has declared an emergency alert status for forest and land fires to determine the status through the Governor's Decree which was signed directly by the Acting Governor of Riau SF Hariyanto.

In addition, the regional police chief has also ordered his subordinates to participate regularly in lands that have the potential to cause fires. Inspector General Iqbal said he did not want any hotspots to spread in Riau, let alone cause the impact of the smog.

"Don't give slack to land burning actors, both individuals and companies. I remind members, there should be no land fires, maximize patrols in all directions," ordered Inspector General Iqbal.

Acting Governor of Riau SF Hariyanto said he had participated as well as provided an anticipatory report on forest and land fires in the 2024 Karhutla Special Coordination Meeting (Rakorsus) at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. This time the coordination meeting was held directly and online, namely there were nine governors who were invited directly to this activity.

SF Hariyanto submitted a request for helicopter and TMC aircraft assistance from various parties for the handling of forest and land fires in Riau in 2024. He asked for a patrol helicopter of one unit and six units of water bombing.

"Yesterday there was also one unit from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry which arrived at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base," he explained