BWS Sulawesi Waits for Permit to Release Lolak Bolaang Mongondow Dam Forest Area

BOLAANG MONGONDOW - Head of the Sulawesi River Basin (BWSS) I, I Komang Sudana, said the permit to release the forest area around Lolak Dam, Bolaang Mongondow (Bolmong) Regency, North Sulawesi, is still in process at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

"We have applied for a forest area release permit to the KLHK about 4 months ago", Komang said in Manado, as reported by ANTARA, Monday, September 19.

According to him, whatever the recommendation from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) is, BWSS I will process it by the provisions.

"What's left is the recommendation. If we are asked to pay for plant compensation, we will process it according to the provisions. So, we just have to wait for the results of the KLHK recommendation", he said.

According to him, community claims to the area have also been coordinated with other relevant ranks, such as the Attorney General's Office.

When the Attorney General's Office team conducted Monitoring and Evaluation Activities (Monev) to the Lolak Dam and met with the community, there was an explanation that the forest release permit process was still in process.

The permit for the release of forest areas for the construction of the Lolak Dam, he continued, was processed by the provisions.

"We have reported this and assisted the Attorney General's Office", he said.

In fact, he said, in a joint meeting with the North Sulawesi Provincial ATR/BPN Regional Office, it was emphasized that state-owned forest land cannot be paid for if there is no legal basis.

"The Attorney General's team said that if there is a payment without a legal basis, there will be legal problems", he said.

In several hearings with the North Sulawesi Provincial Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), BWSS I has explained the problem.

"We are just waiting for the process at the KLHK", he said.