Pekanbaru: National Armed Forces (TNI) Commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said ongoing forest fires in Pelelawan, Riau, are quite extensive and massive. He ordered water bombing operations to extinguish the forest fires
“According to the latest plan, we will be conducting water bombing operations by using our Hercules Aircraft,” the TNI leader said here on Monday, August 12, 2019.
Hadi recently received information from the Regional Meteorology, Cilmatology and Geophysics Agency of the Province of Riau concerning the possibilty of drought phenomenon in the area from August up until October. The operation is really needed to prevent the spreading of fire.
“We will be conducting the operations starting from this month up until this October,” said Hadi.
According to National Police chief General Tito Karnavian, the forest fires are mainly caused by human activities. In order to clear land, the perpetrators ignite fire in the middle of forest areas.
Tito has promised that he will take strict action against the perpetrators. He has also asked TNI personel to hand over the perpetrators who are caught red-handed deliberately igniting fire in the forest.
“If the forest fires are caused by corporations, we will take strict action against them.
However, if the fires are caused by a group of people who are not related to any corporations, we will take actions againts the group first. In this case, the corporations are also the victims,” he added.
Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar has also already given warnings to as many as 55 companies in Indonesia concerning the land and forest fires. Use of fire in land clearing is forbidden. (Translator: Muhammad Gestinev)
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