REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has carried out coordination work with several government agencies and legal enforcers to tackle the problem of haze from forest fires and drought this year.

"Usually haze occurs in May-June. But, this time, the haze has happened in January and February in Riau and West Kalimantan," BNPB spokesman Sutopo stated recently.

He predicted that the drought this year would be drier than that in 2013 because of possible weak El Nino expected to develop later this year.

The agency organized a coordinating meeting on forest and plantation fires on Feb. 11. The meeting, chaired by the BNBP chief, Syamsul Maarif, was attended by representatives from the coordinating ministry for peoples welfare, the forestry ministry, the agriculture ministry, the environmental affairs ministry, the home affairs ministry, the Indonesian defense forces (TNI), the national police, and regional disaster mitigation offices from Jambi, South Sumatra, North Sumatra, Riau, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and East Kalimantan.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika