Top Officials Monitor Tripa Peat Swamp From The Air

Officials from UKP4, REDD+ Task Force, Ministry of Environment, Central Police, Ministry of Forestry as well as Leuser Ecosystem Management Authority (BPKEL) pose in Nagan Raya airport, after overflight above Tripa Peatswamp. The team witnessed a number of forest fires suspected to be deliberately lit by palm oil plantation companies.
Photo Rusman Rafiuddin / The Atjeh Post

The Atjeh Post

SUKA MAKMUE – Top officials and representatives of UKP4, REDD+ Task Force National Police, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Forestry and Leuser Ecosystem Management Authority conducted over flight to monitor Tripa Peat Swamp during their visit on Thursday, July 5, 2012.

Nirarta Samadhi, said that the Deputy V of UKP only observed the current condition of Tripa Peat Swamp from the air to complete several final steps related to the case of permits for oil palm plantation in the area.

Those several steps are, according to Nirarta, among others to address to Governor of Aceh to follow up and to synchronise with the spatial plan of Tripa Peat Swamp.

Besides, to apply moratorium for all activities in Tripa, to request for multi-party support including from the Local Government and to conduct scientific research to identify the condition and the chemical substance of the swamp, added Nirarta.

“Also to ask the government to review the existing permits, since these are issued based on various reasons,” said Nirarta confirming to The Atjeh Post via cellular phone.

Those steps, she said, are to finalise the case and to restore Tripa Peat Swamp into protected area.

“From those several steps, we request for a good solution to avoid any error in the future,” said Nirarta.

Beforehand, based on information gathered by The Atjeh Post, the team has stopped by Cut Nyak Dhien Air Field in Nagan Raya at aroung 9:30 in the morning of Thursday, July 5, 2012 before flying over Tripa. []