Kupang City Government Raises Alak TPA Fire Status From Alert To Emergency Response

Acting Mayor of Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Faharnsy Priestley Funay (left) when he saw firsthand the condition of the Alak TPA fire. (ANTARA/HO-Prokompim Kupang City Secretariat)

KUPANG - The Kupang City Government, East Nusa Tenggara Province, set a fire at the Alak Final Disposal Site (TPA) from alert to an emergency response status because it has caused smoke that has an impact on environmental pollution. "After the determination of the emergency status, the handling of fire cases at the Alak TPA is not only the responsibility of the government, but involves all relevant parties including the National Police and business actors," said Head of the Emergency and Logistics Division of the Kupang City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Ricko Oemar in Kupang, Antara, Sunday, November 5. The determination of the emergency response status was carried out after the Kupang City Government held a coordination and monitoring meeting on the fire conditions that occurred in the Alak TPA area. The fire at the Alak TPA location caused smoke that had an impact on the surrounding TPA area, namely in Alak Village. As a result of thick smoke at certain hours, people are restless because it disturbs health such as respiratory problems (acute respiratory tract infection/ARI). Ricko Oemar said 891 people had been affected by smoke and experienced ARI since the Alak TPA fire case last October. According to him, with the stipulation of the emergency response status, it must be extra to quickly resolve it. "Time for handling in accordance with the emergency response status has an estimated time for handling fires, which is for the next 14 days," said Ricko Oemar. Ricko Oemar added that the Kupang City Government is still experiencing difficulties in extinguishing the fire and cannot be overcome using the existing resources, both human resources and equipment. "To speed up the fire extinguishing that still occurs within the Alak TPA area, it is necessary to take more effective and efficient handling steps using outside resource intervention," said Ricko Oemar.

Since the fire in the Alak TPA area, it has also resulted in a buildup of garbage in the Kupang City area, such as in Naikolan which cannot be transported by officers to the Alak TPA.