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Smog closes schools in Pontianak
Still active: Local residents continue to perform their daily activities on Jl
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Still active: Local residents continue to perform their daily activities on Jl. Tanjung Raya II in East Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Wednesday. The haze has been getting thicker, however, with morning visibility at 150 to 200 meters. (JP/Severianus Endi) (JP/Severianus Endi)
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span class="caption">Still active: Local residents continue to perform their daily activities on Jl. Tanjung Raya II in East Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Wednesday. The haze has been getting thicker, however, with morning visibility at 150 to 200 meters. (JP/Severianus Endi)
The West Kalimantan government has asked all kindergartens, primary schools and junior high schools in the province's capital Pontianak to close on Wednesday due to the worsening haze.
The deputy mayor of Pontianak, Edi Rusdi Kamtono, gave the same instruction last week, cancelling all school activities in the city in order to minimize the impact of the smog on the health of students.
Guidelines issued by Pontianak authorities have helped prepare students' families to take appropriate haze management measures.
'My child is not going to school today based on the instructions of the mayor,' Titiek Marti, 33, told The Jakarta Post, adding that she thought the order was a good decision for children health.
Edi said the Air Pollution Standard Index [ISPU] in Pontianak has been in the 'dangerous' category, reaching up to 800, adding that he urged people to use a mask when leaving the house.
'This is mandatory order; everyone must wear masks,' Edi said.
The deputy mayor asked teachers to be on the lookout for students who seemed unwell and ensure that those students received proper medical attention.
He also reminded parents to take their children to a medical center if they are unwell and ensure that they take any medication to school. If necessary, he said, they should arrange for alternative care arrangements and care for sick children at home.
The smog has affected 20 flights at Supadio Airport in Pontianak, leading to financial losses for aviation companies.
Smoke-belching blazes, an annual problem in Southeast Asia during the dry season, have intensified in Sumatra and Indonesian Borneo over the past two weeks, sending a cloud of acrid haze across the region. (DK)
