Palu, Central Sulawesi – Environmentalists have accused some plantation and forestry companies here of damaging hundreds of thousands of hectares of forests across Banggai regency.

They said that most of the companies pretended to clear land for plantation by cutting down trees, but later logged them out, and abandoned the areas.

A survey by the Traditional Community Alliance and the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) shows that the accused firms include three concession holders – PT Palopo Timber (PT); PT Balantak Rimba Rejeki (BRR), and PT Dahatama Adhikarya (DA).

Palopo Timber controls 40,110 hectares of land in Batui subdistrict; BRR holds 72,500 hectares in Balantak subdistrict, and DA holds 64,620 hectares of land in the Bunta subdistrict.

Other suspected companies include PT Kurnia Luwuk Sejati (KLS); PT Nyiur Inti Mas (NIM); PT Kawisan Central Asia (KCA), and PT Maliando Bangun Persada.