BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: South Kalimantan Governor H Rudy Ariffin declared a state of smoke alert and all the regional leaders elements required to combat forest fires and what causes, Antaranews reported.
Governor stated that in the smoke disaster from forest and land fires management coordination meeting in the South Kalimantan Police Headquarters Hall, Tuesday (23/9).
Coordination meeting chaired by South Kalimantan Regional Police Chief Brigjen Machfud Arifin. Also attended Chief Attorney Pudji Setijono Basuki, Head of Regional BIN Brigjen Okta Hendari, Commander of Korem 101/Ant Colonel Suharjono, and Inspector BNPB RI Bintang SM.
Rudy Ariffin said that this coordination meeting will be forwarded to the district and cities to activate disaster management of land and forest fires posts in their respective territories. Smoke emergency countermeasures in this area has already begun on 16 September to 31 October.
All regions in 13 districts and cities, Rudy pleaded, to enable the post of Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBDs) each of which to continue monitoring, socializing, and ready to act when forest fire.
Province’s BPBDs, he said, will also supervise the hotspot in this area through a network satelite and continue to coordinate the existing posts in the spreading hotspot today as many as 25.
“In addition, we also need to empower people who care about the environment, with the mutual coordination of the disaster response of this smoke, to both maintain forest and land so as not to be burned,” he said.
Steps to request assistance of the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) for the South Kalimantan given artificial rain is also being conducted.
Brig Machfud Arifin asserted, throughout South Kalimantan police will also alerted, namely in investigating and prosecuting anyone who intentionally burned forests and land.