West Java DPRD Supports Drought Emergency Status in 27 Regencies

The West Java Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) supports the West Java Provincial Government’s move to establish a drought and forest and land fire disaster emergency status in 27 regencies and cities during the period of 1 July to 30 September 2026. West Java DPRD Deputy Speaker MQ Iswara assessed the policy as an important anticipatory step against potential drought due to the El Niño phenomenon and weather anomalies expected during this year’s dry season. “We support the West Java Provincial Government’s step in issuing the circular. We view this policy as an effort to anticipate potential drought due to the El Niño phenomenon and weather anomalies expected during this year’s dry season,” Iswara said in a statement received in Bandung on Tuesday. According to him, current weather conditions are increasingly difficult to predict as a result of global climate change, necessitating early mitigation measures by local governments. Iswara added that the impact of climate change is not only felt in the agricultural sector but also in various other sectors dependent on weather conditions and water resource availability. “Climate change must be anticipated from the outset. We must not let the public, especially those engaged in agriculture or other sectors highly dependent on weather conditions, suffer losses due to delays in handling,” he stated. Regarding financing support, he explained that the West Java Provincial Government has an Unexpected Expenditure mechanism that can be used if conditions on the ground meet the requirements for an emergency situation.