Jambi (ANTARA) - Minister of Environment, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, has emphasized that all violations related to forest and land fires, including in Jambi province, will be investigated thoroughly.
He called on the regional police and the Ministry of Environment’s team to identify all such cases.
“In line with Presidential Instruction No. 23 of 2020, I have been mandated to enforce the law in relation to environmental damage violations,” Nurofiq said after conducting an aerial inspection of fire-ravaged land in Gambut Jaya village, Muaro Jambi district, on Wednesday.
He informed that during the aerial observation, one location in Gambut Jaya village could still be seen emitting smoke. “However, the fire has been extinguished and is currently in the cooling phase,” he added.
He elaborated that given its characteristics, the site appears to be located on plantation land. He said that the ministry’s team will conduct further investigations into the case, given the visible signs of environmental damage, which are sufficient grounds for legal action.
“The ministry’s team is currently on-site and investigating the matter in accordance with the mandate, which instructs to enforce all legal measures regarding (environmental) violations in Jambi, as this has become our priority focus,” he asserted.
He said that the issue of transboundary haze pollution is not a trivial matter but one that concerns the credibility of the nation.
Though Jambi is not located close to neighboring countries, the potential for haze remains, which must be anticipated, he added.
The minister also praised the Jambi forest and land fire task force for its efforts to extinguish fires, both through ground firefighting and waterbombing operations.
Furthermore, he said that the handling of wildfires in Jambi has gone relatively well, as seen from the use of canals to store water in peatlands and aid water absorption during the dry season.
