Peat Land In Mukomuko Was Deliberately Burned By The Owner For Palm Oil Plant Preparation

The joint team extinguished the peatland fire in Kota Praja Village, Mukomuko Regency, Friday (26/7/2024) ANTARA/Ferri.

MUKOMUKO - Mukomuko Police, Bengkulu Province, revealed that the peatland fire in Kota Praja Village was allegedly deliberately set on fire by residents to clean land for palm oil. Mukomuko Police Chief AKBP Yana Supriatna said this after his personnel came to the location to extinguish the fire and seek information regarding the cause of the peatland fire in the area. "The personnel coordinated with the village head of Praja City and the sub-district head of Air Manjunto regarding the location of the land fire to prevent the fire from spreading to other lands," he said in a statement in Mukomuko, Antara, Friday, July 25. Then, the personnel received information that the land owner was named Nirwan (46), an ASN from Bandar Ratu Village, Mukomuko City District, while the identity of the land management Yono (58) was a farmer from Kota Praja Village, Air Manjuto District. The chronology of the peatland fire began on Thursday (25/7) at around 09.00 WIB. According to eyewitnesses named Desi, an unknown land administrator burned piles of wood on the land. Then, the fire was left burning without being guarded to prevent the fire from spreading. Although the fire can be extinguished using a fire engine from Mukomuko Regency, until now smoke is still there because the burnt land is used as peatlands. The road access is adequate for fire engines to pass, but the land management is not at the location. Currently, the land burned is approximately two hectares, and it is possible that it will spread to other lands belonging to residents of Agung Jaya Village, Air Manjunto District. Based on Desi's statement that the fire was an intentional activity by the land management because it was to reduce acid levels on peatlands that would be planted with new palm oil. The land fire is close to the residential area of Kota Praja Village, Air Manjuto Mukomuko District, approximately 10-12. If the fire condition is not extinguished, it will have an impact on land belonging to residents of Agung Jaya Village, Air Manjunto District, and cause thick smoke to residential areas around the location.

Meanwhile, he said, his party was working with relevant agencies to continue to take steps to prevent forest and land fires by conducting socialization to the public.