Riau authorities fed up with continuing forest fires<\/p>\n
PEKANBARU, Riau (JP): The Riau provincial administration is
\ndemanding that Minister of Forestry and Plantations Nurmahmudi
\nIsmail revoke for good operating permits of errant companies
\nholding forest concession which have caused fires.<\/p>\n
Most of the haze now afflicting the province is a result of
\nfires set by the companies, deputy Riau governor Rustam S. Abrus
\nsaid here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He made the statements after a meeting with officials of the
\nForest Fire Control Center, non-governmental organizations,
\njournalists and Law and Order Team members.<\/p>\n
\"We want the minister to revoke the companies' permits. It is
\nthe minister who has the right to give such administrative
\npunishment, and he has given his word for that,\" Abrus was quoted
\nby Antara news agency as saying.<\/p>\n
Forest concession holders have long been blamed for their
\nhabit of clearing new reforestation areas by burning.<\/p>\n
The forest fires have evoked catastrophe not only for
\nIndonesians, but also those living in neighboring countries,
\nincluding Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.<\/p>\n
Protests have been launched by the people there, but the
\nIndonesian government still has not found an appropriate formula
\nto stop the annual forest fire problem that causes serious air
\npollution.<\/p>\n
\"If the minister fails to take prompt and appropriate steps,
\nthe companies will continue to operate and the haze problems will
\nlinger,\" Abrus said.<\/p>\n
He said he hoped that the minister would summon the companies'
\nowners, and that the governor, regents and mayors would summon
\nthe companies' on-site officials in their jurisdictions.<\/p>\n
According to the head of the Forestry Ministry's provincial
\noffice in Riau, Darminto Soetono, in the period July 1 to July 14
\nthere were 340 fires in 71 areas belonging to forestry and
\nplantation firms, and locals.<\/p>\n
\"Until July 14, we have sent first written warnings to six
\ncompanies for their ignorance, and a second warning to one
\ncompany,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that 16 fire-related cases have been legally processed
\nin court in the 1997-98 period, while in 1999 three people were
\npunished for causing forest fires.<\/p>\n
\"This year six cases are being processed for legal proceedings
\nfor similar offenses,\" Darminto said.<\/p>\n
Region<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Reuters reported on Wednesday that thin smog from
\nIndonesia hit southern Thailand.<\/p>\n
In the first reports of smoke and haze in almost three years,
\nthe Thai meteorological office said air quality and visibility
\nhad deteriorated in the southern provinces of Songkhla,
\nNarathiwat, Yala and Pattani over the last week.<\/p>\n
Airborne particulate matter of less than 10 microns was
\nmeasured in the southern town of Hat Yai on Tuesday at 65
\nmicrograms per cubic meter, a level considered safe, an official
\nat the local health department said.<\/p>\n
\"It would be considered harmful if it exceeded 120 micrograms
\nper cubic meter,\" the official said.<\/p>\n
Reports from Kuala Lumpur said that smog over northern
\nMalaysia caused by forest fires in Indonesia abated on Wednesday,
\nleaving just one area registering unhealthy levels of air
\nquality.<\/p>\n
Three northern states, including the resort island of Penang,
\nhave been swathed in smoke since Friday. But on Wednesday they
\nreported that air quality levels were no longer unhealthy,
\nenvironmental officials said. \"As of today, Taiping is the only
\nplace in the peninsula which is declared unhealthy,\" said an
\nofficial at the department of environment in Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n
Officials from the Olympic Council of Asia are visiting
\nMalaysia to consider its bid to host the 2006 Asian Games and
\ngovernment officials said they privately feared the smog could
\nruin Malaysia's chances.<\/p>\n
Officials in the northern state of Kedah said the air quality
\nhad improved to \"moderate\" from \"unhealthy.\"<\/p>\n
A reading between zero and 50 is considered to be \"good\", 51
\nto 100 is \"moderate\" and above 100 is considered unhealthy.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's Environment Minister Law Hieng Deng said on Tuesday
\nhe had told his Indonesian counterpart that Malaysia was
\nconcerned about the smog. (sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/riau-authorities-fed-up-with-continuing-forest-fires-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}