Haze from Forest Fires Threatens Navigation Activities on Batanghari River

Limited visibility caused by increasingly thick haze enveloping Jambi City and several regencies in Jambi over the past few days has the potential to threaten the smooth and safe operation of fishing activities and cargo ship navigation in the waters of the Batanghari River.

The Director of Water and Air Police of the Jambi Regional Police, Commissioner Dhovan Oktavianton, stated on Wednesday afternoon (16/9) that due to the impact of the haze, normal visibility on the surface of the Batangyard River throughout Wednesday was approximately 700 metres.

“The thick layer of haze floating above the Batanghari River waterways has shortened the visibility to only about seven hundred metres. This condition potentially threatens maritime safety, especially since several points along the Batanghari River channel are currently experiencing shallowing,” said Dhovan.

Dhovan noted that this situation is a priority for the Jambi Regional Police Water and Air Police unit. To minimise these threats, personnel are currently intensifying patrols along the Batanghari River navigation channels that flow towards the eastern coast of Sumatra.

Dhovan added that during patrols along the river channel, personnel are educating fishermen and ship captains to exercise extra caution, particularly when navigating shallow sections of the river.

During a patrol of the Batanghari River waters on Wednesday afternoon, Director Dhovan Oktavianton, along with several personnel, conducted a community visit with the fishing community in the Arab Melayu Village, Pelayangan District, Jambi City.

During the meeting held aboard the Ditpolairud patrol boat, in addition to providing education on sailing safety and the threats posed by the haze, Dhovan and his personnel distributed free masks and basic food packages to fishing families whose livelihoods have been impacted by the haze and the shallowing of the Batanghari River.