Jakarta: The Indonesian government has taken stern legal action against those allegedly responsible for forest fires, aiming to create a deterrent effect and strengthen preventative measures, a top official said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Head of the National Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Suharyanto revealed that a total of 16 individuals have been named as suspects for allegedly setting forest fires.
"The law enforcement task force has already been in action, and 16 people have been named as suspects," he said in the statement.
Suharyanto issued the remarks after conducting an aerial inspection of Riau Province, noting that all districts and cities across the region had experienced forest and land fires as of July 20.
The BNPB chief emphasized that efforts to curb forest fires are being carried out in tandem with firm legal enforcement.
"In addition to extinguishing the fires, law enforcement operations are also being conducted so that everything is aligned and integrated," Suharyanto said.
He underscored that any indications of deliberate land burning are being processed according to applicable laws.
