Walhi: 93 Companies Suspected of Burning Forest

Palangka Raya, Ekuatorial – The Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) claimed already has data and evidence of hotspots in 93 Palm Oil Large Private Estates (PBS) at 11 districts in Central Kalimantan. But they won’t publish those companies because now they are preparing class action lawsuit framework.
“We have data and evidence, a photograph of fire in 93 BPS. Currently, we can’t publish the company name because we are now preparing the lawsuit framework. We will publish it as the lawsuit framework ready,” said Arie Rompas, Central Kalimantan branch of Walhi’s Executive Director in Palangka Raya, Thursday (23/10).
Related to the difference of government’s data about suspected company, such as with Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and Environment Board (BLH), Arie Rompas argued, probably due to the differences in hotspot detection method they used.
From hotspot mapping and analysis they do with Modis satellite data (TERRA and AQUA) during October 2014 , there are 5546 hotspots in Central Kalimantan and some of them are in those 93 oil palm companies area. Unfortunately, Arie added, until now no one has prosecuted. Whereas to punish the companies, security officers can use accusation law for forest and land burner.
Separately, Head of Central Kalimantan BLH, Mursid Marsono states until now, only three palm oil companies identified involved in land and forest fires in Pisang Island, Central Kalimantan, they are PT. MSM, PT. KLS and PT. BEST .
“Three companies were identified after field checking of forest and land fires by provincial BLH team,” said Head of BLH Mursid Marsono through the Head of Planning Law and EIA, Effendi Saleh.
Beside, according to Effendi, BLH also checked the field to identify the alleged deliberate burning by the company in the East Kotawaringin (Kotim) and Katingan.
On different occasions, Central Kalimantan Independent Forest Monitoring Network (JPIK) found indications of land burning by PT. AUS located in Asem Kumbang village, Kamipang sub-district, Katingan district, Central Kalimantan.
JPIK’s spokesman, Wancino through release received by Ekuatorial, Thursday (23/10) mentions 1,000 hectares of PT. AUS land operating since 2007 burned. Furthermore, he added, based on the heavy equipment operator, not only cultivated land burned, but also uncultivated land. Maturidi.