Government to Establish Center for Handling Haze
Thursday, 30 November, 2006 | 15:49 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Department of the Environment will soon follow up on the ratification of the agreement of inter-regional haze pollution handling that is being prepared by the Environment Commission of the House of Representatives (DPR).

“We will follow this up through a program of haze handling center building,” said Barlin, Deputy Assistant of Legal Provisions and International Agreement Development, yesterday (11/29).

This haze center will be made the center for controlling and evaluating on various attempts of handling haze pollution, especially in the areas that are subject to forest fire and leafless land.

The new institution will prepare a program for handling inter-regional haze pollution using partnership with regions as its basis.

“The building will be built in two towns which include Pekanbaru and Pontianak,” said Barlin.

The consideration would be that the two towns are nearer in location with the neighboring countries so that the government can watch the off-the-level of haze pollution with them.

Pekanbaru and Pontianak also have more dominant fire cases than other areas.

“We will settle the two cities as the parameter of evaluation to haze levels or the yearly attempt of handling haze,” said Barlin.

The center will function in collecting information concerning matters on haze pollution as well as empowering the capacity of human resources in handling haze pollution.

The haze center will also collect funds from local and international basis as well as improving partnership between center and regions so as to handle haze pollution.

INDRA MANENDRA ROSSI