Mounting haze and health crisis in Kalimantan prompt calls for stronger government action

Forest and land fires across Central and West Kalimantan have produced a severe haze that, by the third week of August, was associated with 72,431 acute respiratory infection cases, according to data cited by WALHI's Central Kalimantan director Janang Firman Palanungkai. Palangkaraya recorded the highest tally at 16,166 cases, while volunteer-run smoke-relief posts have served 19 villages and seven communities since August 22, providing safe shelters for children, infants, breastfeeding mothers, people with disabilities and the elderly.

Janang criticized the local government's response as insufficient and warned that deploying civil servants without proper protective equipment endangers lives. In West Kalimantan, residents have endured two months of haze, with daily ARI reports reaching 800-1,200 cases and water shortages forcing the use of saltwater for non-drinking purposes. Civil society groups are demanding transparent use of about Rp60 billion allocated for fire management and call for a national disaster declaration to secure coordinated firefighting, health services, and support for vulnerable populations. Legal experts also urged broader investigations that examine corporate concessions and state responsibilities, not just individual arsonists.