Ministry probes concessionaires over forest fires

Ministry probes concessionaires over forest fires

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Forestry is probing some 100
forest concessionaires over forest fires that have been blamed
for causing the haze that recently blanketed some parts of the
country.

Minister of Forestry M. Prakosa said on Wednesday that his
ministry would take firm action against those who were proven to
have caused the forest fires.

"If proven, we may revoke their concessions, demand
compensation, or bring them to court," Prakosa told reporters
following a media conference held to highlight the principal
programs of his ministry.

Prakosa said that clamping down on forest fires was one of top
five programs of his ministry.

The other four principal programs were the eradication of
illegal logging; expediting the restructuring of the country's
timber companies; bolstering the development of industrial timber
estates; and the implementation of regional autonomy in the
forestry sector.

The forest fires in Indonesia have become a regional issues as
they have been blamed for causing the haze that has frequently
troubled many neighboring countries.

The haze hit neighboring countries again last month, causing
protests and worries that it would recur on the same scale as in
1997.

The 1997 haze caused an estimated US$9.3 billion in economic
losses, as well as damage to human health.

The haze has recently abated in neighboring countries, but
Antara reported on Wednesday that large parts of Central
Kalimantan province were still blanketed with haze.

Citing the ministry's findings, Prakosa said that forest fires
had started in concession areas, plantation estates, and the
forest areas belonging to the locals.

The forest fires were believed to have been caused by the
slash-and-burn activities of farmers and by land-clearing
activities by forest concessionaires.

However, the country's forestry trade association has insisted
that the association's members were not responsible for the
forest fires.

The Association of Forest Concession Holder (APHI)'s
spokesperson Riza Suarga said last month that the allegation that
forest fires had been caused by the concessionaires was baseless.

"Forests are our source of livelihood. How could we set them
ablaze?" he asked.

Prakosa said his ministry would keep monitoring hot spots in
the country's forests through U.S. and Japanese satellites to
detect early signs of fires.

A hot spot is an area of high temperature indicating the
presence of fires.

"We disseminate the information on a daily basis to regional
administrations and timber companies so as to keep them well-
informed," he said.

It's better to prevent than to have to extinguish forest
fires, he said.

According to ministry data, there were 2,239 hot spots spread
across the country as of mid-2001, about half the number recorded
several years ago.

There ware 12 fire-prone forest areas in Riau and Kalimantan,
with 412 hot spots detected in Riau alone last month, according
to the data.(dmr)