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Govt prepares emergency operations, national taskforce for fires
(Tribunsumsel/M
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(Tribunsumsel/M.A.Fajr) (Tribunsumsel/M.A.Fajr)
(Tribunsumsel/M.A.Fajr)
The government is set to prepare smoke emergency operations to overcome forest and land fires in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan following a closed meeting at the Environment and Forestry Ministry on Saturday.
'A ministry decree will be issued regarding the smoke emergency operations. A national taskforce (Satgas) will be established as well,' said the Environment and Forestry Ministry's secretary-general, Bambang Hendroyono, as quoted by kompas.com.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said, National Police chief Badrodin Haiti, Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo and regional representatives from South Sumatra, Jambi and Riau were among those in attendance at the meeting held at the Manggala Wanabakti building in Senayan, Central Jakarta.
According to Bambang, the governors of Riau, South Sumatra, Jambi, Central Kalimantan and West Kalimantan provinces will lead the operations on the regional level.
'Hopefully we can immediately start the joint operation,' said Bambang.
Efforts to extinguish the fires will be carried out on land and through water bombing from the air.
Gatot Nurmantyo said that the TNI is ready to deploy helicopters and CN 295, Hercules and Cessna aircraft to support the operation.
'Besides extinguishing the fires, Satgas will also act as law enforcement and health officers,' said Gatot. (kes)(++++)
