Environmentalists livid over forestry arrears<\/p>\n
Rusman, The Jakarta Post, Samarinda, East Kalimantan<\/p>\n
Eighteen holders of forestry licenses who had evaded paying a
\ntotal of Rp 229 billion in reforestation and resource fees last
\nyear should have their forestry concessions revoked, a non-
\ngovernmental organization said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
"This stern measure has to be taken in order to prevent
\nsimilar violations in the future," said Syarifuddin, the
\nexecutive director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment's
\n(Walhi) East Kalimantan office.<\/p>\n
Citing recently released data from the Ministry of Forestry,
\nSyarifuddin said he had a list of the five worst-offender
\ncompanies that had evaded paying reforestation fees in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
They are PT Sumalindo Lestari Jaya, which evaded paying Rp
\n38.9 billion last year; PT Karang Joang Hijau Lestari (Rp 26.5
\nbillion); PT Bumi Sawit Perkasa (Rp 18.7 billion); PT Kiani Hutan
\nLestari (Rp 16.4 billion); and PT MSK Timber (Rp 16.3 billion).<\/p>\n
Syarifuddin said the government had to impose stern measures
\nagainst the firms because they owed such a large amount of money
\nto the state.<\/p>\n
"The money is very important for the government reforestation
\nprograms," said Syarifuddin.<\/p>\n
Both reforestation fees and forest resource dues are non-
\ntaxable revenues. The money goes to support forestry
\nrehabilitation programs managed by the government. The dues are
\ncollected by the provincial government in accordance with the
\nregional autonomy drive.<\/p>\n
Separately, The Jakarta Post contacted public relations staff
\nat several of the firms in the East Kalimantan province, but none
\nwould comment on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Those 18 companies in East Kalimantan are part of total of 601
\nforest concessionaires in the country, which have evaded paying
\nthe dues last year.<\/p>\n
These logging license holders and timber processors owe Rp
\n1.28 trillion in reforestation fees and forest resource dues last
\nyear, an NGO revealed last month.<\/p>\n
The government has several times promised to take stern action
\nagainst the recalcitrant payers, but so far these promises have
\nproved empty ones.<\/p>\n
Two years ago the government promised to act against 14 forest
\nconcessionaires that had failed to pay reforestation funds
\namounting to Rp 675.59 billion. Whether the government has
\nrecovered this amount is still unclear.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/environmentalists-livid-over-forestry-arrears-1447893297",
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