TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The South Kalimantan Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) executive director, Kiswoto Dwi Cahyono Kisworo, demanded swift government response due to the widespread flooding that recently devastated the region.

Kisworo said that the area's Walhi branch office had repeatedly warned about South Kalimantan’s emergency regarding land mass and potential ecological disasters.

“South Kalimantan stretches 3.7 million hectares that has 13 regencies and cities, but is burdened by 50 percent mining permits, 33 percent are palm oil fields,” Kisworo asserted on Sunday, January 17.

He explained that it leaves only 17 percent without South Kalimantan’s land masses free from any industrial or business land-use permits. The majority of areas are facing impending ecological disasters as the disastrous flooding that hit the region had been predicted by the BMKG weather forecasts all along.

To prevent similar natural disasters from ruining Kalimantan in the future, the Walhi executive called for the government to evaluate and rethink issuing permits for extractive industries, stopping newly granted permits, and better enforcement of the law on environmental blighters in preventing another future ecological disaster.

“The government is yet again ill-prepared. The people are once again who must bear the consequences,” said Kisworo.

Also Read: South Kalimantan: Floods Force 112,709 People to flee Home

FRISKI RIANA