"The steps have been many and easily `manageable," Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar stated, after a coordination meeting on anticipation of forest and land fires ahead of the Asian Games in the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Building, here, on Tuesday.
Bakar explained that the anticipatory steps to prevent forest and land fires is mostly carried out in South Sumatra, such as water bombing and weather modification for rain.
In addition, she added that the government has also set up various surveillance posts in certain hotspots by providing guidance to farmers on the method of planting oil palm ahead of the planting season and arresting those who burn land.
"Fires can be prevented by developing agricultural land without burning, because the farmers may plant the palm again; therefore, the planter should be guided by officials of the Agriculture Ministry," the minister noted.
The government, she further continued, is also committed to maintaining communications with private companies investing in palm oil, so that the peatland programs continue to work well to prevent forest and land fires.
"Hundreds of plantation companies and industrial timber estates (HTI) are preparing the plan well," Bakar explained.
With these efforts, she is optimistic that the Asian Games, especially in Palembang, would not be disturbed by smoke from forest fires and land around South Sumatra.
According to the plan, Palembang will host a number of 2018 Asian Games sports, including women`s soccer, beach volleyball, tennis, canoeing, rowing, shooting, triathlon, takraw, and rock climbing.
The 2018 Asian Games will be held in Jakarta and Palembang from Aug 18 to Sept 2.
Reported by Syatagraha
Translated by Eliswan
(T.SYS/A/KR-BSR/A/H-YH)
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
