Pekanbaru, Riau, (Antarariau.com) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has allocated Rp300 billion to overcome smog problems in the country in 2014.
"The budget will be used according to the needs," BNPB chief Syamsul Maarif stated in the e-mail sent by BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho received by Antara here on Friday.
Syamsul stated that the key to overcome land and forest fires is law enforcement, information campaign and massive and total fire extinguishing efforts.
Massive handling through the three operations must be done and, based on past experience, it has been effective "as proven by the fact that the smog that spread to Malaysian and Singapore last year, was overcome within 1-2 weeks," he elaborated.
To support the processes, a total of 1,524 military and police personnel have been prepared to conduct operations on land, water bombing and weather modification, he added.
"Indeed the operations are expensive, worth up to Rp100.38 billion. Efforts certainly will be more efficient and effectively through law enforcement and information campaign as preventive measures," he explained.
Syamsul meanwhile added that 99 percent of smog in various regions in Indonesia was caused by land and forest fires meaning there were perpetrators behind them.
"Unless action is taken against them the incident will continue to occur. Farming by land burning indeed exists in Sumatra and Kalimantan but the most important thing is control," he pointed out.
He noted that in Riau Province, where peat land could reach up to 10 meter in thickness, fire could be very difficult to put out.
Syamsul explained that in 2013 the police had named 23 suspects in Riau and 16 others in Kalimantan in connection with fires in the regions.
"Indeed economic, social and cultural factors have been the main reasons behind the fires," he added.
He pointed out that the issue had been discussed at a cabinet meeting led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
President Yudhoyono has ordered enforcement of laws to prevent and tackle smog caused by forest or land fires especially against corporations to give a deterrent effect, Coordinating Minister for People s Welfare Agung Laksono stated after the meeting.
Agung added that the law enforcement must be carried out quickly and effectively from investigations to trial in court.
This is important "to give a deterrent effect especially on corporations not individuals," he pointed out.
Agung explained that legal actions must be taken against corporations that burn land illegally to clear it for business purposes, as also against landowners, domestic and foreign alike.
"Law enforcement is important," he emphasized, adding that a total of 41 cases have been dealt with by the police leading to imprisonment for a period of six months to eight years.
Besides encouraging law enforcement, the President has also ordered standard procedures for tackling and preventing forest or land fires so that they do not happen year after year.
Dry rainy season in Sumatra and Kalimantan meanwhile has caused smog problem coming from land and forest fires.
According to NOAA18 satellite monitoring on Thursday, 17 hotspots were identified in Aceh, 12 in East Kalimantan, 10 in North and four in North Kalimantan.
"No hotspot was seen in Riau. The satellite did not monitor the smoke coming from peat land fire," according to Syamsul.
He added that based on analysis, the smoke found in Malaysia and Singapore did not originate in Indonesia, because the wind blew mostly from north to northeast, south and southwest.
Based on satellite monitoring, fires were indeed seen in the Malaysian region.
At a coordination meeting at the office of the coordinating minister for people s welfare on Thursday, the Meteorology, Geophysics and Climatology Agency (BMKG) reported that around 70 percent of the Indonesian region will enter a dry season in April, May and June.
It is predicted the dry season this year will be drier than in 2013. Generally land and forest burning peak in July-October in Sumatra and August-October in Kalimantan.
To combat fires, BNPB has held coordination meeting with ministries, institutions, regional disaster mitigation services and regional governments.
He explained that the regional governments should be in charge with support from the central government, while the office of the coordinating minister for people s welfare will be the coordinator and commander in the efforts assisted by ministries and institutions concerned.
Fire extinguishing efforts meanwhile will be done by land, and air, law enforcement and information campaign.
BNPB Allocates Rp300 Billion To Overcome Smog
