Jakarta (ANTARA) - The has ordered a temporary suspension of activities by companies operating in the Batang Toru River Basin in North Sumatra for environmental audits, following recent floods and landslides that claimed hundreds of lives.
Starting December 6, all companies in the basin and surrounding areas, including palm oil, mining and electricity firms, must halt operations and undergo environmental audits.
"We have summoned three of the companies for an official inspection on December 8 in Jakarta," Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said in a statement on Saturday.
He said the Batang Toru and Garoga River Basins are vital ecological and social areas that must be protected.
Nurofiq announced the move after aerial and on-site inspections in upstream areas to assess the causes of the recent disasters, evaluate business activities that may increase flood and landslide risks and ensure compliance with environmental safeguards.
He visited several companies, including Agincourt Resources, state-owned Perkebunan Nusantara III and North Sumatera Hydro Energy, developer of a hydroelectric power plant.
Based on the findings, the government decided to temporarily suspend the operations of the three companies and require environmental audits to reduce ecological pressure in the upstream watershed, which plays a crucial role for local communities.
Nurofiq also called for a comprehensive evaluation of all business activities in the area amid extreme rainfall now reaching more than 300 millimeters per day.
"Environmental restoration requires a holistic landscape approach. We will assess the damage and legal aspects and will not rule out criminal proceedings if violations are found," he said.
He added that the ministry is tightening verification of environmental approvals and spatial planning compliance for all activities on steep slopes, upstream watersheds and river channels, with law enforcement measures planned for violations that heighten disaster risks.
Rizal Irawan, the ministry's Deputy for Environmental Law Enforcement, said aerial monitoring showed extensive land clearing that is increasing pressure on local watersheds.
He said clearing linked to hydropower projects, industrial tree plantations, mining and oil palm plantations is clearly visible and is triggering large-scale erosion.
He added that monitoring will continue to expand to the Batang Toru, Garoga and other watersheds in North Sumatra.
