Sarwono wants all-out effort to combat haze<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Environment Sarwono
\nKusumaatmadja called yesterday for continued alertness and urged
\nindividuals with expertise to assist in alleviating the haze
\nproblem.<\/p>\n
\"We need to increase alertness around Indonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"All government instructions to extinguish fires should be
\nconducted in an integrated way,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He called for cooperation between the government, the general
\npublic, the business sector and the international community, but
\nstressed the importance of local actions.<\/p>\n
\"The lead should be taken at the local level,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said the government badly needed information
\ntechnology equipment, mapping information and digital computer
\nexperts to locate hot spots.<\/p>\n
\"If there are any digital computer experts out there, please
\nhelp us here. If necessary, ask your company for an absence of
\nleave,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sarwono warned the prolonged dry spell, the rise in average
\ntemperatures and the strong and changing wind could contribute to
\nthe spread of the fires.<\/p>\n
He said recommendations were being drawn up to deal with this
\nyear's weather patterns, greatly influenced by El Nino effects.<\/p>\n
\"The weather is king. We have to be ready and adjust ourselves
\nto its pattern. Not the other way around,\" Sarwono said.<\/p>\n
Based on El Nino's wind patterns, Sarwono said there is a
\npossibility the haze may come to Jakarta in November.<\/p>\n
The Environmental Impact Management Agency's coordination
\ncenter told The Jakarta Post yesterday that as of Friday the
\nfires had razed about 71,636 hectares of forests, 46,375 of which
\nwere productive forest.<\/p>\n
Cleansing<\/p>\n
While operations to douse escalating forest fires continue,
\nthe government is stepping up relief in areas most afflicted by
\nthick haze caused by the fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Director General of Medical Services Soejoga said the
\ngovernment had sent 400,000 masks plus hundreds of thousands of
\nmedical supplies to people in North Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, South
\nSumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and East Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
The masks would protect residents from ash and other haze
\nparticles and the medicine would assist those suffering from
\nrespiratory problems, Soejoga said as quoted by Antara in
\nBandung, West Java.<\/p>\n
More than 32,000 people are suffering from respiratory
\nproblems and eye irritations.<\/p>\n
Malaysia and Singapore have also been affected by the haze.<\/p>\n
A Ministry of Health official in charge of research and
\ndevelopment, Umar Fahmi Achmadi, said the haze contained a blend
\nof dangerous chemical substances, including sulfur dioxide (SO2),
\nhydrogen sulfide (H2S), nitrogen monoxide (NOX), carbon monoxide
\n(CO), suspended particulate matter and ammonia (NH3).<\/p>\n
Soejoga said each hospital in the provinces was provided with
\nan isolation ward, but its capacity would be inadequate to
\naccommodate babies, children and the elderly.<\/p>\n
\"The most feasible protective measure is to avoid outdoor
\nactivities for the time being,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar
\nAnas, who also heads the country's National Disaster Management
\nCoordinating Agency, said in Bandung that the haze blanketing
\nlarge parts of Southeast Asia was also due to El Nino, a climatic
\nphenomenon which sucks moisture from the western side of the
\nPacific Ocean, disrupting normal weather patterns and inducing
\nprolonged dry spells in much of the region.<\/p>\n
He said Indonesia accepted international offers of assistance
\nto put out the fires.<\/p>\n
\"It shows the spirit of solidarity among countries in the
\nregion which have an interest to help us,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Malaysia has deployed 1,000 firefighters, with Japan,
\nAustralia, Singapore and South Korea having revealed their
\ncommitments. (amd)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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