Cloud seeding to start in several provinces<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government will begin cloud seeding next
\nweek in an attempt to allay the worsening smoke haze enveloping
\nJambi, Riau and West Sumatra, State Minister of Environment
\nSarwono Kusumaatmadja said yesterday.<\/p>\n
But due to unfavorable conditions there are so far no plans to
\nconduct cloud seeding in Kalimantan, sight of the worst forest
\nfires causing the haze.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said cloud seeding would be carried out for several
\ndays in areas declared feasible but its success would greatly
\ndepend on favorable weather conditions.<\/p>\n
Four military aircraft would be deployed to the designated
\nareas and field coordination would be executed with local
\nauthorities, he said.<\/p>\n
The haze, which has reached an unhealthy level here and in
\nneighboring Malaysia and Singapore, was caused by widespread bush
\nand forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The fires have been
\nblamed partly on large-scale plantation and timber companies
\nwhich resorted to slash-and-burn methods.<\/p>\n
Sarwono hoped the cloud seeding would induce rain and help
\nextinguish the fires.<\/p>\n
"It's just for clearing the haze," Sarwono told journalists at
\nhis residence early yesterday morning.<\/p>\n
The haze has lead to respiratory problems, disrupted at least
\n800 flights in nine local airports and caused seven boat
\ncollisions on Central Kalimantan's Mahakam river in the last
\nthree months.<\/p>\n
"It's also possible the number of tourists visiting our
\ncountry might decrease because of the smoky haze," the minister
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"Not to mention the unreported human casualties the fires have
\ncaused, for instance those who were trapped and suffocated by
\nsmoke in the middle of the forest."<\/p>\n
This year's forest fires have put the lives of 20 million
\npeople in Indonesia at risk and many more in neighboring
\ncountries, said Sarwono who also heads the Environmental Impact
\nManagement Agency.<\/p>\n
He called once again on the public and private sector to
\ndevelop a "sense of urgency" over the matter.<\/p>\n
"The current fires could become worse with the stronger trade
\nwinds blowing through our land," Sarwono warned, adding that rain
\nwas expected in November.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said the government has yet to decide whether to use
\ncloud seeding in Kalimantan because a survey indicated that
\nweather conditions are currently unfavorable.<\/p>\n
"But coordinated field efforts by local authorities have been
\nmade to contain the spread of the fires," he explained.<\/p>\n
An estimated 300,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed by
\nthe fires.<\/p>\n
The government has set up a special team to handle this year's
\nfires. The National Coordination Team for Controlling Land Fires
\nis chaired by Sarwono and assisted by the Secretary of
\nDevelopment Operations Lt. Gen. A.M. Hendropriyono.<\/p>\n
The team was set up by President Soeharto after banning
\nTuesday the use of fire to clear land.<\/p>\n
He also cautioned everyone on the El Nino phenomena, the freak
\nweather pattern set to ravage parts of Asia, Africa and the
\nAmericas where the effects of severe flooding and drought are
\nalready being felt.<\/p>\n
El Nino, or the infant, was named by a Peruvian fisherman. It
\nstrengthens around Christmas, brewing in the Pacific basin but
\ninfluences weather patterns across a wider area including Africa
\nand the Indian subcontinent.<\/p>\n
El Nino is caused by abnormal warming in the eastern Pacific
\nwaters that interferes with normal trade wind patterns. (aan)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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