PALANGKA RAYA – EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION BUREAU. Deputy Governor of Central Kalimantan Edy Pratowo was present to open the Coordination Meeting on the Forest and Land Fires Controlling Task Force of Central Kalimantan Province which was held by the Central Kalimantan Province Disaster Management and Fire Fighting Agency (BPB-PK) at Hotel M Bahalap, Tuesday (31/5/2022).

This coordination meeting was a follow-up to the National Coordination Meeting of Forest and Land Fires held at the BNPB Office in Jakarta on March 21, 2022, as well as an effort to anticipate and prepare for forest and land fires in Central Kalimantan Province in 2022. Another purpose was to realize a Smog-Free Central Kalimantan which was initiated in 2019 as well as the preparation of strategic programs for prevention, preparedness, and emergency handling of forest and land fires in 2022,” said the Chief Executive of Central Kalimantan BPB-PK Falery Tuwan in his report.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Edy Pratowo also reiterated President Joko Widodo’s direction at the National Coordination Meeting of Forest and Land Fires which reminded the commitment of all regions, especially in provincial and regency/municipality areas which were prone to fires every year, to always be ready to guard, anticipate and even if it was possible to avoid this catastrophic forest and land fires. “In essence, we detect early to anticipate. If things are considered dangerous to cause fires, immediately take action and don’t hold any longer. It is what the President has directed us to act,” said the Deputy Governor.

In the Governor’s remarks he read, the Deputy Governor reminded that the dry season period usually starts in June every year, so that preparedness must be optimized. “Standard Operational Procedures in dealing with the threat of forest and land fires must remain the same, never be neglectful, increase the preparedness of personnel and infrastructure,” said the Governor through Deputy Governor Edy Pratowo.

The governor also advised to never stop strengthening the synergy of all parties in a command and coordination system through the Forest and Land Fires Controlling Task Force which functions to coordinate planning, organization, operation, monitoring, and evaluation in every effort to control forest and land fires throughout the year, so that efforts to control forest and land fires are more effective and efficient.

Regarding the preparedness of the Forest and Land Fires Controlling Task Force in handling forest and land fires in 2022, the Governor through the Deputy Governor Edy Pratowo conveyed 3 things need to be concerned, namely strengthening prevention and preparedness efforts to deal with forest and land fires, strengthening the Forest and Land Fires Controlling Task Force and equipping them with adequate equipment, and establishing a disaster emergency alert status for forest and land fires properly.

Furthermore, the Governor invited all parties to maintain the forest and land fires control which was relatively good in 2021 and also in the beginning of 2022, in order to realize Smog-Free Central Kalimantan.

The coordination meeting was attended by the Head of Central Kalimantan Police Inspector General Pol Nanang Avianto, the representative of Regional Military Commander 102/Pjg, and the Acting Head of the Central Kalimantan Provincial Forestry Office, Eddy Karusman, as well as the Heads of BPBD at Regency/Municipality level throughout Central Kalimantan. (dew/renn/fer/transl.feb)