JAKARTA. A group of visiting lawmakers told Riau’s provincial administration to improve its forest fire prevention and monitoring system as the province was prone to forest fires every year.“Putting out the fires is possible, as the task force has proved. But we have to set up an early prevention system,” said Sutan Sukarnotomo of the House of Representatives’ Commission VII overseeing environmental issues. “If we can put out large fires, it should be easy to put out smaller ones.”He added that lawmakers wanted to find out why the provincial administration seemed unable to handle the forest fires.After meeting Riau Vice Governor HR Mambang Mit, Sukarnotomo said that the provincial administration lacked equipment and funds, making it less effective in dealing with forest fires although it had detected forest fires as early as January.“We have just found out that Riau proposed the procurement of specialized helicopters or airplanes to put out forest fires two years ago.”Sukarnotomo added that Commission VII would work it out so that the House could approve the procurement.The entourage also visited the Riau Haze Task Force command post at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base.Lawmakers pushed law enforcers to take strict action against individuals and corporations who were clearing land by fire.Commenting on that, task force spokesman Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto said the investigation of the Riau forest and land fires would be based on evidence and facts from the field.“It is OK for them to push but the police are working based on the law and not based on pressure from particular parties,” he said.Agus, who is also a spokesman at the National Police headquarters, said that the police were serious about enforcing the law.“The National Police headquarters has sent a team of detectives led by Special Crimes director, Brig. Gen. Gatot Subiaktoro to back the Riau Police,” he said. “We are serious but please understand that solving a case takes time.”As of the 12th day of the haze emergency, the police have 24 suspects in five regions. Rokan Hilir Police arrested 11 suspects along with six suspects apprehended by Bengkalis Police.“We are still preparing the dossiers. The Riau Police are also investigating five other reports, hopefully we can arrest the culprits soon,” said Agus.He added that the Riau Police intensified their investigation of PT AP, which is operating in Pelalawan regency, although he had yet to get any reports on the firm’s forestry or oil palm plantation business practices, although traces of burned land were found in its concession area.Agus refused to comment on whether PT AP was among the 14 companies previously accused by Environmental Minister Balthasasr Kambuaya as being responsible for the forest and land fires.Meanwhile, Antara news agency reported task force coordinator Agus Wibowo as saying that the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) would soon move to South Sumatra to tackle forest fires in the province.He said the BNPB had chartered two Kamov helicopters and Be-200 aircraft to strengthen aerial efforts to extinguish the fires.Air base commander Col. Andyawan said that the Be-200 aircraft could carry 40,000 liters of water, making it effective for putting out fires. (The Jakarta Post)
Riau told to improve forest fire prevention
JAKARTA. A group of visiting lawmakers told Riau’s provincial administration to improve its forest fire prevention and monitoring system as the province was prone to forest fires every year.“Putting out the fires is possible, as the task force has proved. But we have to set up an early prevention system,” said Sutan Sukarnotomo of the House of Representatives’ Commission VII overseeing environmental issues. “If we can put out large fires, it should be easy to put out smaller ones.”He added that lawmakers wanted to find out why the provincial administration seemed unable to handle the forest fires.After meeting Riau Vice Governor HR Mambang Mit, Sukarnotomo said that the provincial administration lacked equipment and funds, making it less effective in dealing with forest fires although it had detected forest fires as early as January.“We have just found out that Riau proposed the procurement of specialized helicopters or airplanes to put out forest fires two years ago.”Sukarnotomo added that Commission VII would work it out so that the House could approve the procurement.The entourage also visited the Riau Haze Task Force command post at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base.Lawmakers pushed law enforcers to take strict action against individuals and corporations who were clearing land by fire.Commenting on that, task force spokesman Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto said the investigation of the Riau forest and land fires would be based on evidence and facts from the field.“It is OK for them to push but the police are working based on the law and not based on pressure from particular parties,” he said.Agus, who is also a spokesman at the National Police headquarters, said that the police were serious about enforcing the law.“The National Police headquarters has sent a team of detectives led by Special Crimes director, Brig. Gen. Gatot Subiaktoro to back the Riau Police,” he said. “We are serious but please understand that solving a case takes time.”As of the 12th day of the haze emergency, the police have 24 suspects in five regions. Rokan Hilir Police arrested 11 suspects along with six suspects apprehended by Bengkalis Police.“We are still preparing the dossiers. The Riau Police are also investigating five other reports, hopefully we can arrest the culprits soon,” said Agus.He added that the Riau Police intensified their investigation of PT AP, which is operating in Pelalawan regency, although he had yet to get any reports on the firm’s forestry or oil palm plantation business practices, although traces of burned land were found in its concession area.Agus refused to comment on whether PT AP was among the 14 companies previously accused by Environmental Minister Balthasasr Kambuaya as being responsible for the forest and land fires.Meanwhile, Antara news agency reported task force coordinator Agus Wibowo as saying that the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) would soon move to South Sumatra to tackle forest fires in the province.He said the BNPB had chartered two Kamov helicopters and Be-200 aircraft to strengthen aerial efforts to extinguish the fires.Air base commander Col. Andyawan said that the Be-200 aircraft could carry 40,000 liters of water, making it effective for putting out fires. (The Jakarta Post)
