Forest fire cases on back burner

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