Meteorology agency proposed to be made independent body
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja is suggesting that the national Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) be made an independent body, citing the agency's important role in the future.
Speaking in a public discussion on The El-Nio Phenomenon, Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change, Sarwono said here yesterday that the changes in the world's climate has now become more difficult to predict.
He thus argued that the BMG has a very strategic role in educating people and making them more "climate sensitive".
"It is so important for our agricultural planning for instance, so instead of just serving the transportation ministry, the BMG could also serve the Ministry of Agriculture," Sarwono said.
The agency was originally established by Dutch officials in the 1850s. It currently functions as a government agency under the Ministry of Transportation.
The agency's main task is to submit weather and climate information reports it has analyzed to officials in the transportation, industry, national security and agriculture sectors.
"The BMG files its reports to every relevant government agency, but I don't know how the reports are later followed up," Sarwono remarked.
The minister did not elaborate further on how the BMG could function as an independent body, saying only that it should be more autonomous and press for tougher actions should it predict a severe climatic threat.
According to Sarwono, the failure to heed previous warnings issued by the agency has caused the nation dearly as exemplified by the current forest and brush fires ravaging large parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan creating a severe haze.
Sarwono also called on all relevant officials to seriously take note of the recent warnings from the BMG of the possibility of severe floods caused by the upcoming monsoon.
"We can't fight the floods, but we can control them, or even make use of them if we anticipate them well," Sarwono told some 100 participants attending the discussion.
Haze
Meanwhile, in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Supadio Airport remained closed for the third consecutive day yesterday as thick haze continued to envelope the city.
Antara reported that the haze could worsen if rain does not come soon.
Visibility around the airport in the afternoon had improved significantly from the morning but it was still less than 500 meters.
Motorists generally had to don masks and turn their headlights on to avoid possible collisions.
The National Aviation and Space Agency command post in the province said the haze was coming from fires in neighboring Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan and West Kalimantan. (aan)