PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The West Java Provincial Government (Pemprov) plans to take over the management rights of land belonging to PTPN and Perhutani, especially the Gunung Wayang area.

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi stated that the land will then be planted with local plants to support environmental recovery.

"I'm targeting a thousand hectares of land to be completed. I'll pay the farmers who plant it Rp2.5 million per month. One person gets 2 hectares. 500 people are needed," said KDM, Dedi Mulyadi's nickname, at Situ Cisanti, Bandung Regency, Saturday (26/9/2026).

KDM emphasized that this step is one of the strategies to overcome poverty among residents in vegetable plantation areas.

The area includes the areas of South Cianjur, South Garut, and South Bandung, some of whose residents work as farm laborers.

According to him, poverty occurs because labor wages are very cheap, namely IDR 30,000, IDR 25,000, and sometimes there are still those who receive IDR 20,000.

"And what's the point of this strategy of allowing poverty? To make them comply. I'm a leader who doesn't want compliance to be driven by poverty; I want compliance to be driven by prosperity," KDM asserted.

KDM plans to start planting in December this year by preparing 4,000 tree planting farmers.

Tree planting farmers will be paid Rp2.5 million per month, so the West Java Provincial Government will provide around Rp10 billion per month or Rp120 billion per year.

According to KDM, these funds are insignificant compared to the costs of handling the Citarum flooding caused by damage to land around the river.

The Citarum River, which is experiencing sedimentation, must be dredged, with dredging costs exceeding IDR 1 trillion annually.

Apart from dredging, the government also has to spend money on flood management, environmental improvements and infrastructure.

According to KDM, the existence of the Citarum also generates large state revenues through power plants in Cirata, Saguling, and Jatiluhur.

"After that, industrial areas were born in Purwakarta, Kerawang, and Bekasi, generating tens of trillions of rupiah every month. If the Citarum River dries up, the Cisanti River dries up, or the Wayang Mountains dry up, the industry there will die," he explained.

KDM said that the West Java Provincial Government's expenditure is not only for projects, but also supports the welfare of the people.

These efforts include paying farmers to plant trees and maintain forest areas.

(Rep pun/bhf)