Api kebakaran hutan dan lahan (karhutla) masih muncul di sekitar perkebunan dan konsesi perusahaan hutan tanaman industri. Awal Juli giliran api menghampiri Pulau Rupat, Kabupaten Bengkalis, ketika 3 Juli 2020 sekitar 2 hektar lahan karhutla membara di dalam kawasan Hutan Produksi Terbatas (HPT), perbatasan PT Sumatera Riang Lestari (SRL) milik grup APRIL/RGE dengan PT Priatama Rupat, perusahaan sawit, di Desa Tanjung Kapal.

Hasil pengecekan lapangan oleh Eyes on the Forest menemukan adanya kebakaran hutan dan lahan di konsesi Hutan Tanaman Industri (HTI) di kabupaten Rokan Hilir dan kawasan prioritas restorasi gambut serta areal peta indikatif penundaan pemberian izin baru (PIPPIB) pekan lalu.

Analysis by Eyes on the Forest coalition finds that Bengkalis district hit the most fire hotspots during March 2015 and PT Riau Rokan Lestari (RRL), a non-affiliated timber supplier concession got the most along with APRIL-affiliated PT Sumatera Riang Lestari (SRL).

The Ministry for Environment reiterated that probe on Riau’s timber and palm oil companies --who named suspects due to allegedly setting forest and land fires in June-- would be proceeded including to prosecute them with money laundry verdict, an official said.

At least four pulpwood suppliers and three palm oil plantations named suspects for allegations on Riau wildfires in June-July 2013. Some of these suspected companies are timber suppliers to Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) and Asia Pacific Resource International Limited (APRIL), a newspaper report said this week.

Three local government officials and one staff of PT Sumatera Riang Lestari, timber supplier for Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL), were detained by Riau Prosecutors Office for allegedly embezzling the state’s income from forestry tax.

A local official in Riau Province this week accused a timber supplier affiliated to Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL), obtaining a document of environmental impact analysis (Amdal) which could be fake as it was registered in the name of another company.

Bengkalis district government set up a team to verify land dispute in Rupat Island this week in attempt to mediate conflict between PT Sumatera Riang Lestari (SRL), a timber supplier associated to Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited (APRIL) against Rupat Island (Pulau Rupat) residents.

As rain rarely pours Riau Province many fires hotspots found recently including in timber concessions and protected areas. At least 613 hotspots detected within three weeks in this month as the total of hotspots in the province are 1573.

A recent observation by Eyes on the Forest coalition had confirmed that PT Sumatera Riang Lestari in block Rupat still clearcut protected species, Ramin tree (Gonystylus sp), similar to the thorough investigation in 2010.

EoF News (PEKANBARU)-- Following riot in concession of PT Sumatera Riang Lestari, a timber supplier affiliated to Asian Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited (APRIL), in Pulau Rupat island nearly two weeks ago, some groups urged the Government to resolve the conflict.

EoF News (PEKANBARU)-- Meranti District councilors said Tuesday they would submit a letter to the Minister of Forestry to evaluate the operation by pulp and paper timber in Pulau Rangsang, an island off Riau eastern coast.

PT Sumatera Riang Lestari (SRL) is an affiliated company to Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL).Through annual cutting approval, called formally Annual Work Plan (RKT) in 2009, particularly PT SRL Blok Rupat alone was granted 2889 hectares.

EoF News (PEKANBARU)— At least 172 hotspots accumulatively detected by Modis Terra Aqua satellite in Riau Province this week, during 18-21 October, which put 48% of total hotspots recorded in pulpwood concessions. The rest 90 hotspots found in various lands that could be palm oil plantations, wasteland and forest.

PEKANBARU (EoF News)— Residents of a village in Kerumutan block forest met parliamentarians from Riau Province Legislative Council’s (DPRD) Commission A on Tuesday here to file complaints over land dispute against PT Sumatera Riang Lestari, an industrial timber plantation company associated to Asian Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited (APRIL).

PEKANBARU (EoF News)—Three officials at Indragiri Hilir Forestry Service were questioned by the Riau Province Forestry Service for allegedly manipulating hardwood tax from timber cleared by PT Sumatera Riang Lestari, an associated company to Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited (APRIL).

WALHI (Friends of Earth Indonesia) Riau releases Investigative Report on natural forest clearing by PT Sumatera Riang Lestari, an associated company to APRIL in Pulau Rangsang, Kepulauan Meranti district of Riau province, Sumatra

PEKANBARU (EoF News)—Eyes on the Forest coalition today is releasing an Investigative Report conducted in May and June 2009 in Kerumutan block forest where EoF found PT Sumatera Riang Lestari, a company associated to Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited (APRIL), is clearing natural peat swamp forest with likely High Conservation Values under legally questionable circumstances.