Rantau, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - South Kalimantan Governor Sahbirin Noor asked residents in villages to be alert to the dangers and potential of forest and land fires (karhutla) ahead of long dry season which is predicted to last until September 2023.
It's related to the forecast of the Meteorolog, Climatology and Geophisics (BMKG) that South Kalimantan to face drought in several months ahead.
“The people in the village have a strategic role in preventing karhutla,” said Sahbirin Noor when visiting Tapin District in the second day of his touring to villages (turdes) in the province, Friday.
Sahbirin appealed to the people in villages to immediately do an early effort to extinguish fires if hotspots found in their land or forest.
“Immediately contact the nearest officers if hotspots are difficult to control,” he said.
He said every area in South Kalimantan has formed Karhutla Task Force that is ready 1x24 hours to stamp out fires.
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Tackling the karhutla, he said, is a joint responsibility so that all parties must working together to overcome the impact of drought due to extreme weather in South Kalimantan.
Sahbirin hopest that there will be no more karhutla here. Based on South Kalimantan BPBD's data, 400 hotspots have been detected in this area.
On this occasion, Sahbirin symbolically handed over staple food assistance to control inflation and stunting, including disaster assistance from South Kalimantan BPBD to residents around SMAN 1 Tapin Tengah.
Here, the Communication, Education and Information Team (KIE) of the South Kalimantan BPBD also provided education on bad effect of karhutla along with preventive measures and countermeasures in the form of simulations and training.
Meanwhile, Head of Tapin Tengah Sub-district Hamzah said that the governor's visit plays an important role in preventing karhutla for the people of Tapin District, especially in villages.
“Karhutla educational activities have a great benefits for the people in the village,” said Hamzah.
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