Forest fire cases on back burner

PEKANBARU: The files on companies allegedly involved in starting forest fires in Riau are still with the local environmental impact management office but the legal process would nevertheless proceed, says the office's director, Khairul Zainal.

Khairul said on Saturday that legal proceedings against the 10 companies named suspects for causing fires that resulted in widespread haze in the province should only take a week, if addressed seriously.

But the office was unable as yet to forward the cases to the prosecutors due to staff shortages. "The office only has one officer available to examine the cases," he said. -- JP