Indonesia to review rule allowing burning forest during land clearing

The Indonesian government plans to revoke regulation that allows cultivators to burn forest or bush during land clearing as it could trigger massive forest fire.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Tuesday that he would ask lawmakers to revise the country's current law that allows the forest or bush burning.

Kalla delivered the statement as the country is scrambling to douse massive forest fire which has broken out across the archipelago country, triggering huge impact on health and economic loss in Indonesia and neighboring ASEAN countries.

Under the country's current law on environment management number 32, 2009, article 62 stipulates that cultivators are allowed to burn forest in maximal two hectares land during land clearing for new plantation.

"But it could trigger massive forest fire going forward. We certainly ask for revision of the law," Kalla said.

The vice president also said sanction will be applied to those giving permit for opening plantation without considering the environmental impact.

The forest and agriculture fires have massively spread across the nation, killing at least 17 people, affecting 43 million others with 500,000 of whom suffering from respiratory problem according to the disaster agency.

Indonesia has undertaken a massive operation with aids from foreign countries and deployed over 22,000 soldiers, police and officers to douse the blaze spreading from west to east of the country.

However, lacking of devices amid the impacts of El Nino phenomenon have hampered the operation, which make it impossible to douse the blaze within two weeks, according to national disaster management agency.

Indonesia, home to the world's largest palm oil industry, has endured forest fires as people burned land during land clearing for new plantation.

Indonesia has been battered by forest fires for decades. Enditem