"We will make available the ships to serve as temporary shelter, especially for infants and children, till the air condition becomes better," Head of Indonesian Navy PR Department, First Admiral M. Zainudin stated here, on Friday.
People will be evacuated via ships if air pollution standard index (ISPU) in the affected areas reaches worrying levels due to smog, he added.
He explained that the decision to mobilize LPD type warships was based on the government policy issued by Minister for Coordinator of Politics, Law and Security, Gen. (ret.) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
The policy said in order to handle the smog disaster, the government will focus on evacuating residents, especially infants and children.
"It is possible that the infants and children are housed in the vessels for a few days to prevent them from falling victims to the thick smog," he noted.
While KRI Banda Aceh-593 from the Military Seaborne Command (Kolinlamil) has been stationed in Palembang, South Sumatera, KRI dr Suharso-990 from Eastern Fleet Support Command (Satban Koarmatim) has been stationed in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.
"The main focus in this operation is evacuating the children and infants from areas affected by smog. Technical aspects will be coordinated with the Ministry of Social affairs and Ministry of Health," he explained.
Besides mobilizing warships, Indonesian Navy has also deployed the Marine Corps personnel to extinguishing the ongoing fire at certain hotspots.
The Marines continue to be at the locations that suffered in the ongoing forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
They are working together with the Indonesian Army, Air force, Indonesian Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Indonesias National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), and other community outfits(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
