PALMOILMAGAZINE, PALANGKA RAYA – The capital city of Central Kalimantan Province, Palangka Raya is currently facing a severe smoke crisis that is disrupting the daily activities of its residents.
This smoke is primarily a result of forest fires and fires in the areas surrounding the city, with a significant portion originating from palm oil plantations.
In an effort to address this pressing issue, Rasio Ridho Sani, the General Director of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MEF), along with his team, has taken decisive action by sealing off the palm oil plantations belonging to PT. Palmindo Gemilang Kencana (PT. PGK) located in the Sub-district of Sebangau within the City of Palangka Raya. The affected plantations cover an area of approximately ±372 hectares (Ha).
Rasio Sani believes that this sealing action is the initial step towards enforcing the law rigorously against both corporate entities and individuals responsible for these fires.
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This approach aims not only to address the current fire incidents but also to utilize all available legal mechanisms, including imposing administrative sanctions such as revoking business permits, seeking civil compensation, and imposing severe criminal penalties.
“The seal on the fired plantations of PT. PGK is the first thing of firm law enforcement we are doing. The permit holders should be responsible on the fire absolutely. The seal should be a lesson for others or people whose plantations are in fire,” Sani said as in the official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com, Saturday (7/10/2023).
He also emphasized that there would be serious consequence in legal issue. “This is assertive. There would be multi-layer law enforcement as what Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya told us to deliver deterrent effect and would not happen again,” Sani said.
In the context of law enforcement, Sani continued that maximal punishment would be delivered for every fire actor. The impacts of the smoke would disturb the people’s health, in education, the students should not go to school in Palangka Raya.
The fire damages natural ecosystem, disturb the people’s economic activities, make financial losses for the country. It means, the fire is environment crime and serious one that delivers losses for many parties.
It is said that there would be multi-criminal sentences for every perpetuator, not only 10 year in jail – threat and fine Rp 10 million, but could be 12 year in jail – threat and fine Rp 12 million if the fire delivered impacts for health issue. The corporate/entity would get additional criminal sues, such as, revoking profits and improving situation because of its crime (recovering). (T2)
