DPR Proposes Schools with Air Purifiers as Shelters from Haze

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Charles Honoris, Deputy Chair of Commission IX of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), has proposed that the government use schools and government offices as clean-air shelters for people affected by smoke from forest and land fires.

In a statement received in Jakarta on Friday, Charles said the public facilities could be fitted with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to reduce exposure to hazardous smoke.

“We cannot simply treat people who have fallen ill while they continue to be exposed to dangerous smoke. I urge the central and regional governments to increase the number of clean-air shelters immediately,” he said.

Clean-air shelters are temporary refuges designed to reduce exposure to air pollutants, including fine particles from forest and land-fire smoke.

According to Charles, smoke can enter homes through gaps around doors and windows, as well as through ventilation systems, meaning people remain at risk even when indoors.

He said such facilities were especially needed by vulnerable groups, including young children, pregnant women, older people and those with respiratory illnesses.

Charles called on the central and regional governments to make use of existing public buildings rather than construct new ones.

“In several countries that have faced major forest fires, public facilities have been used as clean-air shelters for people affected by haze. This shows that health protection does not have to wait until the fires are extinguished,” he said.

Charles also stressed the importance of monitoring air quality and maintaining the air filters so the shelters can function effectively for affected communities.

The six provinces prioritised for forest and land-fire response are Central Kalimantan, South Sumatra, South Kalimantan, Jambi, West Kalimantan and Riau.

Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra are the main focus. In Central Kalimantan, a fire covering 513.89 hectares was reported in Tanjung Puting National Park.

Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said the government had deployed 60,177 joint personnel to support ground-based firefighting operations.

Alongside ground operations, the government is also conducting aerial firefighting using water-bombing helicopters and stepping up weather-modification operations.