C. Kalimantan involves 400 mining firms in fire response: Dy Minister

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Jakarta (ANTARA) – Deputy Coordinating Minister for Food Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said the government was working with 400 mining companies to accelerate joint efforts to tackle forest and land fires in Central Kalimantan.

Faisol noted that the initiative complemented support from nearly 200 plantation and forestry companies that had already joined the government in strengthening forest and land fire control efforts in the region.

“Every party is involved. Yesterday, almost 200 entrepreneurs and companies in the plantation and forestry sectors were involved. Today we invited 400 business units in the mining sector and we have stated follow-up steps,” he remarked in Jakarta on Friday (November 6).

Furthermore, the Indonesian government would follow up on this collaboration through technical discussions with the Indonesia Mining Association and the Mining Engineering Heads Forum to develop integrated operational steps in the field.

Faisol added that the Central Kalimantan Provincial Government would coordinate all mining companies in the province so that their resources and capabilities could be effectively mobilized to tackle forest and land fires.

According to him, the involvement of the mining sector is expected to set an example of national collaboration in dealing with disasters through the use of company resources for the benefit of the wider community.

On the same occasion, Deputy Governor of Central Kalimantan, Edy Pratowo, said that forest and land fires were disrupting public health, economic activity and air transportation due to smoke haze which affected flight operations in the area.

He emphasized that mitigation was key, with efforts focused on maintaining peatland moisture through the provision of drilled wells and hydrological management to prevent fires from recurring during the dry season.

Pratowo stated that the need for firefighting personnel increases in line with the size of the affected area, while the availability of water sources through drilled wells remains essential to supporting field operations.

His office is also seeking to mitigate the impact on local communities by distributing food aid, clean water, and vitamins, providing oxygen rooms, and offering insurance coverage for volunteers working in the field.

Apart from emergency treatment, the provincial government is preparing to build drilled wells and clean water reservoirs as long-term steps to maintain water availability for the community during the dry season.