BTNK Calls Tour Guides And Tourists Who Light Fireworks On Kalong Island, Komodo National Park

LABUAN BAJO - The Komodo National Park Office (BTNK) summoned tour guides, boat captains, and tourists involved in setting off fireworks on Kalong Island in the Komodo National Park area, West Manggarai, NTT.

"We will examine them and take information regarding the activity of lighting firecrackers on Kalong Island," said Head of the National Park Management Section (SPTN) Region 2 of the Komodo National Park Hall, Gatot Kuncoro Edy at the BTNK office, Labuan Bajo, as reported by Antara, Friday, April 1.

The summons and examination of the users of the Dirga Kabila Tourism Ship was the result of the activity of setting off fireworks/firecrackers carried out by tourists within the Komodo National Park area on Thursday, March 31 afternoon.

Gatot explained that the activity of setting off fireworks and firecrackers within the Komodo National Park area has been prohibited. Therefore, the examination is carried out to find out information at the location of the incident and the type of violation imposed on the violator.

For the time being, the BTNK has not been able to provide information regarding the number of violators, evidence other than videos, and the sanctions given. However, he hopes that similar incidents will not happen again in the area.

He emphasized that BTNK continues to socialize and educate tourism actors regarding the ban on activities in Komodo National Park. BTNK also applies penalties for perpetrators so that violations do not occur again.

Meanwhile, a tourist who was met at the BTNK Afandy Wijaya Office regretted the incident. As a local person who takes on a role in the world of tourism, he and other tourism actors came to the BTNK office to discuss.

In the discussion, they hoped that there would be a synergy between BTNK, the Implementing Agency for the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority (BPOLBF), the West Manggarai Regency Government, and tourism actors to build a discussion room so that similar problems do not happen again.

Furthermore, he hopes that the BTNK can provide opportunities for tourism actors to become volunteers to explain to the community about conservation. According to him, an understanding of conservation must start from oneself first, then be transmitted to tourists visiting the area.

The activity of lighting fireworks in the Komodo National Park area was recorded by other tourists and went viral on social media.

A phinisi boat can be seen being boarded by several tourists dressed in white in the 13-second video that has been widely circulated.

The voice actor in the recording stated that the people (recorded) set off firecrackers. Meanwhile, footage shifts to the upper part of the sky showing bats flying over the area.