Sumatra and Kalimantan haze declared disaster
Sumatra and Kalimantan haze declared disaster
JAKARTA (JP): The government has declared the haze stemming
from forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan a disaster requiring
immediate action.
The Office of Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare, in a
letter sent to provincial governors in Sumatra and Kalimantan,
asked them to step up their vigilance in dealing with forest
fires.
The letter warned the problems would escalate because
temperatures would remain high in September and October, possibly
reaching 37 degree Celcius.
It warned of pollution, dangers to flights, shipping services
and land transportation, as well hazards to people's health.
The letter ordered the establishment of 24-hour command posts
in all provinces on the two islands to monitor the situation and
to contain the problem.
The worst-hit provinces are Central Kalimantan, South
Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, South Sumatra and Jambi.
Thick smoke has also blown over to Malaysia and Singapore.
The government has chiefly blamed plantation companies for
starting the forest fires.
One official estimate said fire had razed as much as 300,000
hectares of forest in the last three months.
State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said
yesterday his office and the Environment Impact Management
Agency, which he also heads, felt empowered by the letter.
"We've been working hard in the last three weeks, and we're
glad that the coordinating minister's office has now come to
strengthen our efforts," he said.
Last week, President Soeharto banned burning forests to clear
land.
The President has set up a national coordinating team to
handle the forest fires. The team is headed by Sarwono who is
being assisted by secretary of development operation Lt. Gen.
A.M. Hendropriyono.
The Environment Impact Management Agency has opened a hotline
to provide the public with information about the forest fires and
the government's actions.
The numbers to call are 251-1518 and 251-1519, and the numbers
to fax are 251-1543 and 2512331.
Sarwono's office has also opened up an information hotline.
The numbers are 8517145 and 8580064. (aan)
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