Forest fires on the rise in Riau and Kalimantan<\/p>\n
Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau<\/p>\n
With the beginning of the dry season, an increasing number of
\nforest fires have been detected in Riau and Kalimantan, raising a
\nthick haze that could disrupt air transportation in the region
\nand neighboring countries, Malaysia and Singapore.<\/p>\n
During this month, the local office of the Regional
\nEnvironmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedalda) in Pekanbaru,
\nRiau, detected a total of 119 hot spots in connection with the
\nrampant conversion of forest areas into farmland and plantations
\nin several regencies.<\/p>\n
The hot spots were spreading in five regencies: Bengkalis,
\nPelalawan, Indragiri Hulu, Siak and Dumai.<\/p>\n
According to a meteorology report on May 24, there were 16
\nmajor hot spots in Indragiri Hulu and Pelalawan.<\/p>\n
Riau Bapedalda Chief Ahmad Syah Harrofie regretted that the
\nlocal administration, especially the local forestry office, had
\nnot learned from the past forest fires and haze in the province.<\/p>\n
\"With the start of the dry season, relevant authorities should
\ntake necessary actions to prevent locals and forest
\nconcessionaire holders from burning forest areas since it has had
\na domino effect on the environment,\" he told The Jakarta Post
\nhere on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Ahmad said, \"if no actions are taken we will be facing the
\nsame fate as in previous years. The haze that starts covering a
\npart of the province, including the city, will disturb the air
\ntraffic not only in the province but also in neighboring
\ncountries such as Singapore and Malaysia and could cause
\nrespiratory problems for locals\".<\/p>\n
He said further that the conversion of forest fires into
\nfarmland and plantations will threaten the habitat of rare
\nspecies such as the Sumatran Tiger, elephants and rhinos in the
\nprovince and cause floods during the rainy season.<\/p>\n
So far, the local administration has fined a Malaysian company
\nPT Adei Plantation US$1.1 million for burning forest areas and
\nsued five other companies which were allegedly involved in the
\nsame case in 2002.<\/p>\n
The five companies were PT Sindora Seraya in Rokan Hilir
\nregency, PT Cibaliyung Plantation in Rokan Hilir, Dumai
\nIndustrial Zone, PT Tri Bhakti Sarimas in Kuantan Singingi and
\nPT Jatim Jaya Perkasa in Rokan Hilir, Antara reported on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The news agency also reported that the burning of forest areas
\nhas been also increasing in Central Kalimantan over the last
\nweek, disrupting routine activities in the provincial capital of
\nPalangka Raya.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the task force for the handling forest fires in
\nthe province Ketut W. Wirawan called on the police and the local
\nforestry office to take strong actions against individuals and
\nforestry companies burning forests in the province.<\/p>\n
The provincial administration has deployed hundreds of
\npersonnel and tankers to put out the fires. Authorities in West
\nKalimantan have also taken a similar move to put out fires in
\nseveral forest areas in the province.<\/p>\n
Besides disrupting air transportation in Kalimantan and Riau,
\nthe haze last year also caused the deaths of four people due to
\nrespiratory problems and disrupted school activities.<\/p>",
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