Jambi, Singapore Discuss Forest Fire
Jambi, Singapore Discuss Forest Fire
8 January 2007
published by www.antara.co.id
Singapore — Jambi Province and Singapore were scheduled to discuss forestfire and haze problems which occurred in Sumatra in 2006.
Last year`s fires razing forest and plantation areas on Kalimantan and Sumatraislands produced haze spreading to neighboring countries such as Singapore andMalaysia, a spokesman of the Jambi provincial administration Idham Khalik saidhere on Monday.
Jambi Governor Zulkifli Nurdin on Monday morning (Jan 8) was scheduled to host areception for Singapore`s delegates. The Singaporean delegation and Jambiofficials were expected talk on effort to prevent and deal with forest fires andhaze in the future.
Last year`s forest fires were quite serious as it was also triggered by El Ninophenomena.
The Indonesian government has produced some regulations and imposed measures todeal with forest fires, which occur almost every year and affect the neighboringcountries. However, the measures were not effective as forest fires continuedrepeating almost every year.
Forest and plantation fires in Jambi Province over the period of 1998 and 2006degraded forest areas measuring thousands of hectares. Malaysia`s “Bomba”fire brigade had tried to help extinguish the fires but it was not quiteeffective.
The governments of Singapore and Malaysia have protested the haze which has beenexported by Indonesia as it affected the people’s health.
