South Sumatra Police Remind Residents Not To Burn Land Around Toll Roads And Explain The Dangers

Police personnel from the Ogan Komering Ilir Resort, South Sumatra, carried out air monitoring of the hotspots of land burning using a drone camera aircraft from JTSS Kayu Agung section, Ogan Komering Ilir - Palembang, Saturday (15/4/2023). (Doc. ANTARA)

PALEMBANG - The South Sumatra Regional Police reminded and urged residents not to burn land, especially in areas around the Trans Sumatra (JTSS) toll road in the local area.

The Head of Public Relations of the South Sumatra Police, Senior Commissioner of Police Supriadi in Palembang, Saturday, said that clearing land by burning is not justified, especially since the weather is currently hot towards the dry season because the impact will be dangerous.

"Especially around the toll road because the combustion smoke will disrupt the traffic flow of travelers which has started to take place on D-7 Idul Fitri," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, April 15.

Supriadi stated that police personnel had socialized the appeal comprehensively to residents who garden or farm around toll roads.

Several points that are of concern because they are prone to land burning activities include the Ogan Ilir Regency and Ogan Komering Ilir Regency.

To note, plantation land and rice fields in the area are only about 10 to 15 meters from the Trans Sumatra Toll Road for the Palembang Indralaya, Ogan Ilir, and the Palembang Kayu Agung section, Ogan Komering Ilir Lampung Province.

"Pak Kapolda Inspector General of Police A. Rachmad Wibowo has ordered the local police chief (Ogan Ilir and Ogan Komering Ilir) to strengthen so that there is no smoke burning the land," he said.

The strengthening is carried out by monitoring the air using unmanned aircraft or drones and deploying Bhabinkamtibmas personnel to accompany local residents.

"According to the Ketupat Musi 2023 Operation coordination meeting, it is known that local residents just finished harvesting a few weeks ago, so strengthening so that residents do not neglect (Keep burning the land)," he said.

He ensured that police personnel were ready to take legal action in accordance with applicable regulations if there were residents who ignored the appeal and continued to clear land by burning.

"So far, no hotspots have been found on the roads in the South Sumatra region as well as in this case, we have coordinated with regional heads to tighten supervision," he added.

Meanwhile, based on data from Trans Sumatra Toll Road officers at the Kramasan Toll Gate, Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra, the number of passing vehicles began to increase on D-7 Lebaran.

The number of vehicles passing from Palembang to Lampung Province rose 21.45 percent or to 4,853 vehicles from the previous 4,316 vehicles.

Then on the other hand, from the direction of Lampung Province to Palembang, it rose 31.51 percent or to 6,436 vehicles from the previous 5,215 vehicles.