(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
ISTANBUL – Indonesia has recorded 333,470 cases of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) linked to widespread forest and land fires, as worsening air pollution raises public health concerns across several provinces.
Citing the Indonesian Health Ministry, state-run news agency Antara reported Thursday that 4,522 new respiratory infection cases were recorded in a single day.
Health Ministry environmental health director Then Suyanti warned that air pollution had reached hazardous levels in several areas, particularly in six provinces identified as priorities for wildfire management.
These include Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and Central Kalimantan.
Suyanti explained that wildfire smoke contains harmful pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other toxic compounds.
Prolonged exposure to these pollutants can trigger respiratory infections, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and irritation of the eyes and skin, among other health complications.
Meanwhile, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto warned that companies found repeatedly violating environmental regulations could face the revocation of their operating permits.
Prabowo said authorities had identified indications that several foreign-backed companies holding land concessions were responsible for recurring forest and land fires.
He stressed that businesses committing repeated violations should lose their permits, with revoked concessions potentially reassigned to younger Indonesians.
Amid the worsening situation, thousands of students and residents staged demonstrations in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, urging the government to declare the forest and land fires a national disaster.
Indonesia is currently experiencing an unusually prolonged dry season, with El Niño contributing to hotter and drier conditions that increase the risk of wildfires.
The continuing fires have intensified concerns over air quality, public health, and environmental protection as authorities work to contain the blazes.
