JAKARTA – The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) has stated that the forest and land fires (Karhutla) are not identical with the oil palm plantations. The association of oil palm growers has ensured that all of its member companies are obliged to prepare all necessary means and facilities to anticipate the Karhutla in their respective operational areas.
GAPKI made the statement in response to the accusation that the oil palm plantations are the cause of Karhutla in Indonesia.
GAPKI Deputy Chairman Satrija B. Wibawa said that they are now focusing on how to deal with the landsite fires. “Tackling the forest fires is the authority other institutions, and it’s not the task of GAPKI,” Satrija said in South Kalimantan province as quoted in a press release on Tuesday, 27 June 2023.
But he noted that not all of the landsite fires should be the responsibility of GAPKI. It is because until now only 25 percent of the oil palm plantation companies are grouped as members in GAPKI.
According to Satrija, GAPKI has been regularly conducting trainings and roll-call of alertness, especially due to the warning on El Nino impacts.
“GAPKI is strongly committed to complying with regulations, and preventing fires,” he said.
Meanwhile, GAPKI organized on Monday, 26 June 2023, an assembly of alertness for all of its member companies to anticipate the forest and land fires 2023 in the plantation area of PT Tri Buana Mas (TBM) in Sawaja village of Candi Laras Utara district in Tapin regency.
GAPKI South Kalimantan (Kalsel) Office Head Edy Sapta Binti said that the assembly of alertness organized by GAPKI Kalsel and other stakeholders is part of the realization of oil palm growers’ commitment to prevent their concessions from fires.
“In 2020, GAPKI signed an MOU with Polda (regional police) of Kalsel to protect their concessions from land fires. It’s part of oil palm growers’ commitment to prevent land fires,” said Edy Sapta Binti.
Rujito Purnomo, a Director of Astra Agro Lestari, said the oil palm growers have drawn important lessons from the forest and land fires in 2015 and 2018. They realized that in tackling the problem of fires they cannot do it alone and they need collaborations with many stakeholders.
“Tackling it alone will only cause high cost, while the fires could not be extinguished,” said Rujito.
To tackle the fires within the concessions, Rujito said that they will follow the directions from the agriculture ministry’s plantations director general and the regional disaster mitigation board (BPBD).
“Companies prepare all needed units of equipment based on existing regulations. All are based on the check list and our teams are assigned 24 hour standby,” he said.
According to Rujito, preventing fires within concessions is easier to supervise. For preventing fires outside of concessions, companies involve the joint teams of companies, the public under the fire care community (MPA), military (TNI), police (Polri), plantation services and the ministry of environment and forestry (KLHK). (*)
Source: Bisnis.com/sawitku.id
