REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Non government organization Forest Watch Indonesia accused the government of negligence allowing regional regulation legalizing the use of fire in land clearing.

The regional regulation is against the Law on the protection and management of the environment,Togu Manurung from Forest Watch Indonesia said here on Monday.

The negligence has caused forest fires with millions of people suffering from breathing difficulty not only n Indonesia but also in neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore for over 120 days, Togu said.

Airlines reported huge losses for delay or cancellation of flights.

Chapter 69 point 2 of the Law ruled that land clearing, which may not exceed 2 hectares per family to grow local varieties and partition is required around the land to prevent the spread of possible fire.

However, regulation issued by governors allowing land clearing for more than two hectares resulting in haze of smoke disaster in wide areas.

He cited four factors contributing to forest fires in Indonesia -- poor management, deliberately setting fire, weak law enforcement and negligence on the part of the government.

He said normally the country's tropical forests are not easily caught fire , but lengthy drought has made the fire to spread easily.

He said the government should consider bringing to court regional leaders responsible for the fire disaster.

Similarly, another non governmental organization Walhi called for firm measure against perpetrators of fores fires. Nurhidayati from Walhi said the government has announced moratorium but the law enforcement agencies have failed to effectively enforce the moratorium.

Moratorium is not enough without strict law enforcement, Nurhidayati said, adding the regional regulation allowing to use fore for land clearing should be scrapped.

"The licenses issued to plantation companies should also be reviewed," Nurhidayati added.

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