Tanjung Batu District, Ogan Ilir Regency, KOTABARI.COM – Residents of Tanjung Batu Sub-district, Ogan Ilir Regency, have raised concerns over the fallout from the burning of sugarcane fields by PTPN VII Cinta Manis on Friday. According to Muhaimin, a resident of Tanjung Batu, black ash resulting from the sugarcane field burning has been carried by the wind into homes throughout the Tanjung Batu Sub-district.
“Today, the impact of the airborne ash has affected the entire Tanjung Batu Sub-district,” he told our reporters. Muhaimin added that despite the residents’ efforts to close windows and doors, remnants of the burning continue to find their way inside homes, causing significant disturbances.
“We’ve tried sweeping multiple times, but the black ash still manages to enter our houses. It’s quite frustrating,” he continued. Muhaimin explained that PTPN VII Cinta Manis is currently in the sugarcane harvesting season. As a result, it is suspected that the company intentionally set fire to their sugarcane fields to expedite and ease the harvesting process. This practice has reportedly been ongoing for a while.
“The consequence is that the ash from the sugarcane burning scatters everywhere, even entering homes through windows, doors, and ventilation gaps,” he further remarked. Regarding the recurring annual incidents, Muhaimin questioned whether such burning of fields is permissible at this time.
“Despite the fact that regulations prohibit land clearing or other activities through burning, this continues to happen,” he added. “Honestly, we’ve never tasted the sweetness of sugar from PTPN VIII Cinta Manis, but we’re always subjected to the aftermath of their burning,” he added.
Separately, Ogan Ilir Police Chief, AKBP Andi Baso Rahman, had previously issued a warning to all Ogan Ilir residents against land clearing through burning. “We consistently remind residents about preventing forest and land fires. We must avoid a repeat of what happened back in 2017,” he emphasized.