Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, Sept 23 (Antara) - President Joko Widodo has said he has ordered revocation of permits of companies that deliberately burned forests to clear land.
"I have already issued a firm order to revoke the permits of companies found deliberately burning forests or land," he stated here on Wednesday.
President Joko Widodo was here to inspect the fire situation and also sources of fires in Guntung Damar in the village of Guntung Payung, Landasan Ulin, South Kalimantan.
He said firm action has to be taken against companies that had burned forests. He said such companied deserved strong action since the fires they caused have wreaked a lot of loss.
He said the haze caused by the fires has disrupted public and economic activities.
"The loss has been huge and amounts not just in billions but trillions. Therefore, serious action will have to be taken and harsh sanctions have to be imposed (on those who caused the fires)," he said.
The president said he had also instructed the national police chief to take action against the perpetrators of forest and land fires, including individuals, and to impose harsh sanctions on them.
He said the police have already named seven company executives as suspects for allegedly having burned forests to clear land.
"I have also asked the environment and forestry ministry to freeze or revoke the concession rights of companies that did not safeguard their forests and prevent fires," he said.
During the inspection, President Joko Widodo was accompanied by First Lady Iriana, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Minister of Education and Culture Baswedan, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, TNI Commander General Gatot Nurmantyo and head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, Willem Rampangilei.
