South Kalimantan karhutla handling receives special attention from the National Police Headquarters

Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Forest and land fires (karhutla) handling and anticipation in South Kalimantan gained a special attention from the National Police Headquarters, given that most of the area consisting of peatland should be watched out in the dry season.


Brigadier General Edi Setio Santoso Tuesday (13/8) visited the province to lead the Assistance and Supervision Team of the National Police Headquarters Forestry Handling Task Force assigned to review South Kalimantan Regional Police. 

"Introduce socialization as an effort to prevent people from burning land, especially on peatlands. The problem is that a quarter of South Kalimantan is peat swamp and hotspots are there," he pointed out in Banjarbaru.

From observations, said Edi, the anticipation of forest and land fires in South Kalimantan was quite good and in accordance with SOP. The leadership of South Kalimantan Police Chief Inspector General Yazid Fanani in commanding his troops to anticipate the threat of forest and land Fire is considered successful until now.

"The combined task force readiness from personnel and equipment and the anticipation pattern is also completely ready," he pointed out.

Then in terms of hotspots, said Edi, this year is much reduced when compared to 2018. It showed a significant effort has been made by a joint task force in South Kalimantan in anticipation of forest and land fires.

"With 80 percent confidentiality from The National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) in August 2018 there were 947 hotspots. While the same period this year was only 437 hotspots. Hotspots can go down very dramatically showing the success of the task force in South Kalimantan," said the high-ranking officer served as Director of Community Order Development of the National Police Security Maintenance Agency (Baharkam).

Since this year's dry season is still long and predicted until next October, the one-star police general hopes all parties in South Kalimantan can anticipate it.

"Empowerment should come first, then socialization in order people do not burn. If there are indeed elements of the community or corporation found deliberately burning, act decisively according to applicable law," he stressed.

In his field visit, the team was accompanied by South Kalimantan Police's Head Operation Sr Comr Isdiyono, Brimob Commander Sr Comr Ardiyansyah Daulay, Director of Special Criminal Investigation Sr Comr Rizal Irawan and Director of Sabhara Sr Comr Muhdi Khosim and the local police chief.

Then from the ranks of the TNI there was the Head of the Operations Section of the Korem 101 Antasari Lt. Col. Inf. Muchtarom and the Commander of 1006 Martapura District Military Lt. Col. Arm Siswo Budiarto.

"The placement of the main post near the airport location is right. It also shows that the South Kalimantan Regional Police are seriously anticipating the threat of forest and land fires which could impact flight disruption due to haze," he concluded.