Subulussalam Prioritizes River Restoration and Controlling Palm Oil Expansion

SUBULUSSALAM, GARISBUMI.com – Restoring water catchment areas, river functions and river borders is a priority in developing environmental protection directions for the City of Subulussalam, Aceh, for the next 30 years. Controlling the expansion of oil palm plantations is also under discussion to strengthen regional resilience to disasters.

These priorities were discussed in the Public Consultation on Technical Material for the Environmental Protection and Management Plan (RPPLH) held by the Ministry of the Environment/Environmental Control Agency (KLH/Environmental Management Agency (BPLH)) together with the Subulussalam City Government, Wednesday (21/10/2026).

The preparation of this document took place in the context of long-term recovery after the hydrometeorological disaster struck Aceh at the end of 2025. Environmental planning is expected to ensure that subsequent development takes into account the environment's ability to support human activities as well as potential disaster risks.

Water sources and citizen safety

The Regional Secretary of Subulussalam City, Asrul Assani, reminded that economic growth and infrastructure development must go hand in hand with the protection of water sources and forests.

"What does grandiose development mean if the environment is damaged? What does economic growth mean if water sources are polluted, forests lose their function, and the risk of disasters increases," said Asrul, as quoted in the KLH/Environmental Management Agency (BPLH) statement.

The discussion highlighted the relationship between Subulussalam City and the Leuser Ecosystem, Tahura Lae Kombih, as well as the network of river basins that support community life.