Entering The Dry Season, Pangdam Sriwijaya Instructs Soldiers To Beware Of Forest And Land Fires In South Sumatra

Illustration of rain fires (ANTARA)

The Commander of Kodam II/Sriwijaya Maj. Gen. Hilman Hadi instructed soldiers in his ranks to include five provinces of South Sumatra to increase vigilance and preparedness to anticipate forest and land fires (karhutla) in the 2023 dry season.

This was conveyed by the Commander of the Military Command Maj. Gen. Hilman Hadi while chairing the Coordination Meeting (Rakor) of Preparedness to Face the Karhutla Disaster in the Gatot Subroto Makodam II/Sriwijaya room, Palembang.

According to him, for this forest and land fires, it is an old problem, especially in the last four years, it is enough to attract attention and energy.

Facing problems that always occur every year or every dry season, all unit commanders and soldiers in the South Sumatra region include South Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu, Lampung, and Bangka Belitung must continue to take various anticipatory measures so that the area is protected from forest and land fires which can cause smog disasters.

The smog disaster caused by forest and land fires needs to be prevented because it can interfere with various community and economic activities and cause health problems.

"I ask the Sriwijaya Military Command unit to immediately report if the forest and land fires that occur in their respective areas cannot be handled, efforts will be made to send personnel and equipment assistance," said Military Commander Hilman Hadi, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, June 27.

Meanwhile, the Commander of Korem 044/Gapo, Brigadier General Naudi Nurdika, explained that forest and land fires in South Sumatra every year pose a serious threat to people's lives.

Karhutla is a serious threat because it can cause a lot of losses to both economic, social, health and environmental aspects.

In order to anticipate the forest and land fires, the synergy between stakeholders and related agencies is needed in handling forest and land fires in the South Sumatra region.

"Most of the forest and land fires are caused by humans clearing land by burning because these activities are felt to be fast and cheap, in addition, many land is abandoned because the condition of the land is prone to fire," said Danrem.

Then on that occasion, Kasrem 042/Gapu also explained that in order to anticipate forest and land fires in the Jambi area, his party would carry out programs and activities to implement the technology of land clearing without burning (PLTB) and optimize abandoned land into productive developed land.

In addition, Korem 042/Gapu has also conducted an inventory of the potential of villages prone to forest and land fires, and the culture of environmental love.

"In addition, plantation companies and HTI operating in the province are also asked to carry out forest and land fires prevention, help the community around the area and there must be a fixed procedure (protap) for early prevention, early detection and preparedness in peatland areas," said Kasrem 042/Gapu.