The Central Kalimantan Prosecutor’s Office stipulates that the file of criminal cases in forest and land fire corporations (KARHUTLA) PT. Kumai Sentosa (KS) is complete. The information was officially delivered on April 1st 2020 to the Law Enforcement Center (GAKKUM) forestry environment Kalimantan Region Palangkaraya Section. With this file complete, the case of PT. KS can be tried immediately.

Handling the case of PT. The KS was related to the fire case on the company’s oil palm plantation land, in Sungai Cabang Village, Kumai District, Kotawaringin Barat Regency, Central Kalimantan in August 2019. The area of the burned land was around 2,600 hectares.

Law Enforcement (Gakkum) forestry environment (LHK) investigators ensnared PT. KS represented by an initial IKS (47 years) with Article 99 Paragraph 1, or Article 98 Paragraph 1, Jo. Article 116 Paragraph 1 Letter a and Article 119 Letter c, Law No. 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management, with a maximum penalty of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum fine of 10 billion Indonesia rupiah.

The Director of Criminal Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Forestry for the Environment of the Ministry of Forestry Yazid Nurhuda said that in order to have a greater deterrent effect, his side implemented additional criminal law enforcement.

“Regarding environmental damage caused by forest and land fires at the location of PT. KS, we apply additional penalties or penalties in the form of repairs as a result of the criminal act imposed. PT. The KS must be responsible for the recovery of damage to the 2,600 Ha land area due to the fire at their location, “said Yazid.

Meanwhile, Head of the Kalimantan Region Gakkum LHK Office, M. Subhan said that the handling of this case began with the analysis of the GKKUM Gakkum Intelligence Center team. The data shows a hotspot with a level of confidence> 80% in the area of PT. KS, August 22, 2019.

“Then we assigned the team to inspect the field and find land fires on PT. KS’s oil palm plantation, in Sungai Cabang Village, Kumai District, Base of Bun Regency, West Kotawaringin Regency. Evidence that was secured included copies of PT. KS documents, trees and oil palm plantations that have been burnt, soil samples, leaves and fire equipment, “he explained.

With the stated dossier of this investigation complete, and can be tried immediately, the Director General of Law Enforcement of the Environment Ratio Ridho Sani said specifically expressed his appreciation to the Central Kalimantan Prosecutors team who continued to work in the midst of the current situation.

Regarding the continued destruction of the environment and forestry, Ratio Sani asserted that the Gakkum LHK will not stop to act against the perpetrators of environmental destruction, forest destruction including related to forest and land fires.

Land forest fires are serious and extraordinary crimes. The smoke of the forest fires causes many people to suffer, even the impacts are cross-border, our ecosystem is damaged, and our biodiversity is lost, many are disturbed by forest fires.

“If there are still activities that cause forest and land fires and make people suffer from smoke, we will act decisively,” he said.

At PT. This KS, the fire that occurred was 2600 Ha, so it should be punished severely.

“We are also preparing a civil claim for environmental compensation for forest and land fire at the location of PT. KS. Our actions must be a lesson for other corporations, there are several other cases that we are handling,” continued Ratio Sani.

Sani Ratio added that until now the KLKK Gakkum Intelligence Center team continues to monitor locations that still have the potential to damage the environment and forest areas.

“Every day we continue to monitor via satellite which locations have hotspots (hot spots). We record this data. We do not stop even in situations like this. We continue to work, the state remains present, to conduct surveillance. This is the direction of the Minister LHK, Siti Nurbaya told us, “said Ratio.

Source: Law Enforcement Ministry of Environment and Forestry