Ministry seals three companies over Riau peatland fires

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Forestry's Directorate General of Law Enforcement (Gakkum Kemenhut) has sealed three more companies holding Forest Utilization Business Permits (PBPH) whose peatland areas in Riau have been burning.

"The Directorate General of Gakkum is fully committed to protecting forests from fires and will take firm action against forest burners," Director General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Forestry, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, stated in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He added that in addition to sealing the three PBPHs, authorities are also supervising the protection facilities and infrastructure in their work areas, as well as assessing forest fire prevention efforts, including equipment, human resources, and operational procedures. Their compliance with the approved Annual Work Plan is also under close monitoring.

Nugroho explained that the increasing number of burned areas in Riau prompted the Directorate General of Gakkum, through its Forestry Supervisory Team, to take decisive action by sealing the three companies operating in fire-affected peatland zones.

Monitoring by the Ministry of Forestry’s SiPongi system, which uses the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite with a moderate confidence level, detected 930 hotspots, including 374 in Riau. Some of these hotspots are located in fire-prone peatland areas.

The three sealed forest concessions are PT DRT in Rokan Hilir Regency, where approximately 75 hectares of peatland within production forest areas have burned across two locations of 45 and 30 hectares. Also sealed were PT RUJ in Dumai City, with 24.9 hectares of affected peatland, and PT SAU in Pelalawan Regency, with 60 hectares of burned peatland.

Nugroho emphasized that peat ecosystems play a vital role in maintaining environmental balance, particularly as the largest terrestrial carbon stores, which help mitigate the impacts of climate change. He also noted that peatlands provide habitats for endemic species and serve as sources of livelihood for local communities.

In a related statement, Director of Supervision, Imposition of Administrative Sanctions, and Civil Law at the Ministry of Forestry, Ardi Risman, stated that the sealing was conducted as an initial step to halt illegal activities and reduce the risk of recurring fires.

"We will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of these companies’ compliance with work area protection obligations and fire prevention measures, in accordance with Ministerial Regulation No. P.32/MenLHK/Setjen/Kum.1/3/2016 on Forest and Land Fire Control," he said.

If negligence or deliberate violations are proven, the companies will face severe administrative sanctions, including permit revocation, in accordance with applicable regulations. Criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits may also be pursued to restore the damaged forest ecosystem.

Earlier, in June and July, the Ministry of Forestry had taken enforcement action against eight other PBPH holders—three in Riau, four in West Kalimantan, and one in South Sumatra.