Sumbawa And East Lombok Emergency Alert For Drought

MATARAM - Two districts in West Nusa Tenggara have set an emergency alert for the impact of El Nino drought.

Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of NTB Province Ahmadi said the two districts, namely Sumbawa and East Lombok.

"For these two districts, there is already distribution of clean water with tank cars," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, June 21.

In the near future, there will be two districts that will also follow the same status. Namely Dompu and Bima regencies.

"These are some districts that will also follow. Meanwhile, at the provincial level, we are also preparing an emergency proposal," said Ahmad.

Ahmadi explained, for regions that have set a drought emergency alert status to prepare an Unexpected Expenditure Budget (BTT).

This budget can be used to distribute clean water to people affected by drought.

"This BTT fund is for the operation of tank cars and honorarium officers. That is what is prepared," he said.

According to him, the provincial government together with district and city governments have expressed their ability to provide a drought budget.

"So the provinces and regencies and cities share the budget, because this disaster routinely occurs every year," he said.

In addition to budget support from provinces and regencies and cities, his party also proposed a budget to the center through BNPB.

"We propose to the center Rp20 billion," said Ahmadi.

A budget of that size, according to him, is very much needed by the regions. Given that the budget in each region is minimal.

"If we talk about the budget, not only us, all regions are the same. It's all minimal," he said.

Ahmadi said that later the existing budget would be used for the operation of the tank car which would distribute clean water to people affected by the drought. In addition, the budget is also to finance the honorarium of the officers.

"It all has to be prepared properly," he said.

He hopes that the proposed budget can be realized by BNPB. Considering that in July and August it is estimated to be the peak of the dry season in NTB.

"Hopefully our proposal will be accepted by BNPB and once the peak of the dry month in July and August the budget will come out," he said.