Karhutla Triggers Air Quality In Palangka Raya Continues To Worsen, Thousands Of Masks Are Distributed To Students

Illustration of teaching and learning activities in schools (ANTARA)

PALANGKA RAYA - The intensity of forest and land fires (Karhutla) in Palangka Raya City, Central Kalimantan which has increased in the last few days has made the smog even more thickened. As a result, the standard index of air pollution (ISPU) was observed to be in the yellow zone. Not only that, a number of students ranging from the PAUD, SD, and SMP levels in Palangka Raya began to be hit by symptoms of acute respiratory tract infection (ISPA) such as shortness of breath, coughing, fever, and nausea due to inhaling smoke from land fires. The Palangka Raya City Education Office has appealed through a circular so that every student must wear masks. However, there are still a number of students who do not heed this recommendation. To prevent a surge in students affected by ISPA, Pahandut District took the initiative to distribute masks for free to schools. At least 6,000 masks were distributed as well as providing socialization so that students would not be active outside the room for a while. "Every morning, in Palangka Raya City for several days, there have been already covered with smoke plus more and more land fire spots because these school children are most vulnerable to being exposed to ISPA, we distributed masks to them," said the Head of the Palangka Raya City Education Office. Jayani, Wednesday 6 September., the Principal of SDN 7 Panarung School, Purnama Yadi said, as long as smoke strikes Palangka Raya City, there were a number of students who were unable to go to school because of illness.

"From the school WA group, many children claim to be sick, such as shortness of breath, coughing so they cannot go to school. For that, according to a circular from the Education Office, we temporarily cancel out activities outside the room and only do indoor learning including rest hours," he said. He also appealed to parents of students to always monitor the condition of their children both at home and after returning home from school in the midst of unfavorable weather conditions at this time, including ensuring that their children leave for school are required to wear masks.