Karhutla Smoke Fog Makes Air Quality In South Kalimantan Tapin Worse

Head of the Tapin Regency Environment Agency, South Kalimantan, Nurdin, revealed that the smoke from forest and land fires (karhutla) made the air quality in the local district worse.

"The air quality in Tapin Regency is currently very bad," he said in Rantau, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 3.

Nurdin revealed that this air quality index has deteriorated due to the intensity of the smog that has occurred in recent days.

The public is advised to wear masks when carrying out activities or activities outside the home.

Separately, Acting Regent Tapin Syarifuddin said he would hold a coordination meeting regarding the threat of the smog fog.

"We will follow up immediately," he said.

Meanwhile, this afternoon members of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and volunteers from the Tapin Rescue Team (TRT) distributed 2,000 masks to students and the general public as an initial action.

"This mask distribution is a preventive step in an effort to prevent health problems, one of which is acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) caused by smoke due to forest and land fires," said Head of Emergency BPBD Tapin Sofyan.

Sofyan revealed that the forest and land fires that were successfully recorded and handled by the Tapin BPBD from June-October were 107 cases with an impact of 303.5 hectares and a hot spot of 2,602. Meanwhile, throughout South Kalimantan, the total impact of forest and land fires reached 1,503 cases with an impact area of 4,418 hectares covering forest and land.

Regarding ISPA data in Tapin Regency, before the forest and land fires, the cases were already high where the age of toddlers was mostly affected by ARI.

Head of Disease Prevention and Control (P3) of the Tapin Health Service, Puji Winarta, said there was no significant increase when forest and land fires were rife in Tapin in June until now.

"Significate if it increases twice, compared to before there was forest and land fires," he said.

When classified, the number of ARI cases attacked many toddlers, in January (460 cases), February (442 cases), March (454 cases), April (357 cases), May (337 cases), June (320 cases), July (355 cases) and the latest data August (44 cases).

As for all age groups, the total is ; January (1,323 cases), February (1,220 cases), March (1,195 cases), April (1,116 cases), May (1,323 cases), June (1,036 cases), July (1,139 cases) and August (1,323 cases).

"Most of them attack the age group of toddlers," said Puji.

Puji explained that the factor in the number of ISPA cases in Tapin Regency could be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria or fungi.