Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The government is ready to revoke the permits of forestry companies found guilty of involvement in land and forest fires in several parts of the country, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakara said.
Speaking to the press here on Tuesday, the minister said as a follow up to President Joko Widodo's directives on the handling of forest and land fires and a ministerial level coordination meeting she had issued a decree regarding national task force, and smoke emergency operations.
Under the decree, the ministry will soon set up a working team to clarify permit violations which led to forest and land fires, she said.
"We have classified sanctions on (violators of) the permits into light, moderate and heavy categories," she said.
The light sanction includes the obligation to make a written statement, conduct land and forest rehabilitation and restoration, and offer an apology to the public through the mass media, she said.
The moderate sanction includes the freeze of permits, and the obligation to conduct land and forest rehabilitation and restoration, and offer an apology to the public through the mass media, she said.
She said the heavy sanction includes paying fines, being brought to justice and being blacklisted besides the above obligation. (WDY)