TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government's action plan to combat the ongoing haze has exceeded the deadline that has been set by itself through the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) - in fact, haze has worsened since the target was made on September 15, 2015.
The President's Chief of Staff, Teten Masduki, said that the government's efforts to combat the haze have been hampered by the effects of El-Nino. "Despite the delays, the President is monitoring the impact and spread of the haze every day," he said at the State Palace on Tuesday, October 6, 2015.
According to Teten, there needs to be more collaborative effort in combating the haze - one which actively involves local residents, corporations, as well as the government. "This cannot keep happening - haze like this occurs yearly since 20 years ago," he said.
In addition to intensive waterbombing efforts, continued Teten, the government is mulling a plan to hand out administrative sanctions and economic penalties to landowners that were proven to be the mastermind behind the burning of forest and fields across the affected areas.
Teten said that the handing out of penalties is perfectly acceptable considering the fact that the fires - and consequently, the haze - were deliberately set alight to minimize the cost of clearing out an area.
There are four penalties and/or disincentives that are being discussed, namely the revocation of land permits, the ban on using lands that had been deliberately set on fire as collaterals in credit agreements, the ban on transfers of land ownership, or the outright suspension of corporations that were proven to have engaged in slash-and-burn practices from venturing in the agribusiness sector for a certain period of time.
"These are designed to create a deterrent effect among the culprits," said Teten.
FAIZ NASHRILLAH