Yesterday: Aid for NTT schools to sanctions related to forest fires

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has disbursed Rp860 million for initial handling of dozens of schools affected by the earthquake on Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara Province. Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti symbolically handed over the assistance directly during a working visit to Nagekeo Regency.

The Ministry of Forestry is investigating suspected criminal activity behind a number of forest and land fire incidents, including the buying and selling of conservation areas, forest encroachment revealed through hotspot tracking, and corporate fire cases. Director of Forestry Crime Enforcement at the Ministry of Forestry’s Law Enforcement Directorate General, Rudianto Saragih Napitu, said investigators are not only looking at the location and extent of the fires, but are developing cases to understand the sequence of events, area usage, and parties involved in activities at the sites.

The National Disaster Management Agency is operating four water bombing helicopters to help tackle forest and land fires in South Kalimantan. Head of the Preparedness Sub-Division at the South Kalimantan Regional Disaster Management Agency, Ariansyah, said all four helicopters were operational on Monday.

The National Disaster Management Agency has recorded a surge in the death toll from the earthquake in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, which has now reached one hundred people. Agency head Suharyanto explained that the increase occurred because many seriously injured victims who received intensive care ultimately could not be saved.

Minister of Environment Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat said more than 30 companies are being processed with potential state losses and environmental restoration costs reaching nearly Rp15 trillion related to forest and land fire cases throughout 2026. Around Rp5 trillion is for state losses and nearly Rp10 trillion for environmental restoration.