Government prepares heavy equipment to help residents clear land without burning

Jakarta (ANTARA) - State Secretary Minister (Mensesneg) Prasetyo Hadi has said the government will provide heavy equipment assistance to help communities clear land without using burning methods that have the potential to trigger forest and land fires (karhutla).

Prasetyo said the government will be present to provide solutions for communities that need land clearing, especially in areas that still practise land clearing by burning.

“If the problem is that our communities need to clear land, then the government will be present in another form by providing assistance, for example. So excavators that are needed to clear land,” Prasetyo said in a media briefing monitored via the Presidential Secretariat’s live broadcast in Jakarta on Saturday.

He said President Prabowo Subianto has decided on the reinforcement or addition of heavy equipment that can later be used to help communities clear land.

“Earlier it was also decided by the President that there will be reinforcement or addition of heavy equipment to later help communities if they want to clear land,” Prasetyo explained.

According to Prasetyo, this measure is expected to reduce the practice of land clearing by burning while preventing forest and land fires.

Prasetyo explained that a number of regions, including West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan, have regional regulations (Perda) that allow land clearing by certain methods as part of local wisdom.

However, according to him, these provisions do not mean that land burning is permitted without limits.

The government, Prasetyo said, is also encouraging that the provisions in these regional regulations be adjusted so that land clearing is not carried out by burning.

“Earlier in the meeting it was also agreed that the first thing requested is that the Perda, if possible, be prohibited, adjusted,” he added.