TEMPO.CO, Palembang - South Sumatra's Governor Alex Noerdin has requested homecomers who are using the east and central Sumatra passage to be cautious of smogs. The smogs come from wildfires in the area of Sumatra.
Alex said the smogs are potential to occur due to the homecoming routes that will be passing through forests and peatlands. The rareness of rain in the areas of Sumatra causes the fire difficult to be extinguished.
Alex said his party was ready to support the safety of homecomers by preparing fire fighting teams. "We have requested the support of the National Disaster Management Agency to borrow a water booming helicopter," he said yesterday.
The water-drilling plane is proven effective from preventing fire to spread along the east passage of Palembang-Indralaya last June. "If the smogs worsen, we will perform a weather engineering," Alex told reporters in Alang-alang station.
Aside from controlling the smog, the government is also preparing homecoming armadas. Head of Southern Sumatra Transportation Service Musni Wijaya said his party had prepared thousands of seats with hundreds of bus armadas that are road worthy.
Several airlines have also declared their readiness in adding flight schedules. "Armada buses, trains, ships and aircrafts are ready to be functioned," Musni said.
PARLIZA HENDRAWAN
