Haze from Forest Fires Yet to Affect Aviation: Transport Minister

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said there had been no serious impact yet caused by the haze from the land and forest fires in a number of regions in the country on the transportation industry, particularly the aviation industry. 

“So far, there is no serious impact yet, but if there is no attempt to solve [haze], this will become severe,” said Budi Karya at the Jakarta Convention Center, Friday, September 13.

Budi said he had instructed Air Transportation Director General Polana Banguningsih to coordinate intensively with the Environment and Forestry Ministry and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) to deal with the problem.

At present, he added, Riau was the most critical area since the haze flew from the south and stayed there because of the wind flowing from the Malacca Strait. “The haze stops in Riau.”

The highest number of hotspots was detected in Indragiri Hilir at 141, followed by Pelalawan (50), Rokan Hilir (31), Kuansing (14), Indragiri Hulu (26), Bengkalis (6), and Siak (1), according to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

On Friday morning, September 13, five flights at the Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin or SMB II Airport Palembang were delayed due to thick smog.

The BMKG recorded that the lowest visibility of 300 meters occured today at 06:00 a.m.

CAESAR AKBAR | PARLIZA HENDRAWAN