Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has reviewed the personnel and equipment requirements for Manggala Agni as part of efforts to strengthen preparedness for forest and land fires (karhutla).
The evaluation was conducted during a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Forestry’s Directorate General of Law Enforcement at the ministry’s office in Jakarta. Raja Antoni said the review aims to ensure that Manggala Agni personnel can operate effectively and safely while carrying out fire prevention and suppression duties.
He emphasized the need to establish minimum operational requirements that would serve as the basis for supporting forest and land fire response operations.
Raja Antoni said the minimum essential requirements should ensure that Manggala Agni personnel are adequately equipped with tools and resources that do not endanger their lives or physical safety, while also ensuring that necessary equipment is available promptly when needed.
In addition to equipment needs, the minister also reviewed several preventive measures, including the implementation of weather modification operations (OMC) and monitoring of groundwater levels (TMAT) in fire-prone areas. He said these measures must be based on actual field conditions and operational needs.
Raja Antoni also stressed that the budget for forest and land fire management must be used carefully and in a measurable manner. He instructed officials to calculate all operational requirements in detail so that support provided to field personnel directly addresses real needs.
He warned against excessive or opportunistic budgeting and called for accurate assessments of what is truly required by personnel working in the field.
The minister added that the evaluation forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Indonesia’s forest and land fire management system on a sustainable basis. (*)
