TPP License Extended Until 2039

Rengat, Oct 22 (Antara) - Oil palm plantation company PT Tunggal Perkasa Plantation has been granted a 25-year extension of its land use title (HGU) allowing it to resume operation until 2039 in the regency of Indragiri Hulu, Riau. "The old HGU of the subsidiary of PT Astra Agro Lestasri, has expired on 31 December 2012, and it has been extended by the National Land Office (BPN) until 2037," chief executi8ve officer of PT. Astra Agro Lestari Erwan Djunaidi said here on Tuesday. Erwan said with the extension of the HGU, which was signed early September 2013, the company is allowed to resume normal operation. The company has been in conflict with local people, who claimed rights over the use of the land because of the delay in the HGU extension. The local people still occupied the land of more than 10,000 hectares as they have not received copies of the HGU extension. PT TPP of the Astra Agro Lestari group has operated in that area for 26 years . There has been no problem with the local people during that period , but the problem came after the local people knew that the HGU of the company has expired since December 2012.