NEWSMAGELANG. ID-The Magelang Regency Government through the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Magelang Regency held a Coordination Meeting (Rakor) for disaster risk reduction facing the dry season in 2024, located at the BPBD Office Hall of Magelang Regency, on Tuesday (21/05)
The Head of BPBD Magelang Regency, Edi Wasono, when opening the coordination meeting revealed that the dry season in 2023 resulted in drought and lack of clean water in Magelang Regency.
“In total during the dry season last year, BPBD together with institutions, mass organizations, volunteer communities and other related agencies have distributed 7.6 million liters of clean water in 14 sub-districts,” he explained.
Furthermore, he explained that last year’s dry season was not only drought, but also forest and land fires. “For forest fires recorded in BPBD, there were 55 incidents with an impact of around 314 hectares of forest and land burned,” he continued.
Nevertheless, Edi is grateful that thanks to the synergy and collaboration between stakeholders and volunteers, the handling and impact of the dry season can be minimized.
“Thanks to all stakeholders, related agencies, and volunteers involved in snacking the impact of the dry season, collaboration like this must continue,” he said
Not to forget, Edi reminded the participants who attended, especially the affected Village Governments, that drought is a continuous threat every year when the dry season arrives, for that there must be preventive efforts.
“Because of the disaster of joint affairs, the Village Government is expected to have resilience and strategies in handling so that it does not only depend on temporary assistance,” he said.
“Efforts such as building water reservoirs, infiltration wells or dams can be done to reduce the risk of drought,” he said
In line with Edi, Member of Commission IV of the Magelang Regency DPRD, Syukur Akhadi, said that there have been many programs for clean water management in villages such as Pamsimas or the ‘Jogo Tuk’ program (maintaining water sources)
“For that, let’s take care of the existing infrastructure together and maintain the springs available in the village,” he said Syukur when he was one of the speakers.
He affirmed the commitment of the Magelang Regency DPRD to strengthen disaster risk reduction in Magelang Regency
“We will continue to strengthen the collaboration between Commission IV and BPBD both in terms of budget and activity programs, because the main goal is to serve and protect the community from disaster threats,” he said.
Meanwhile, a resource person from the Central Java Climatology Station, Rudi Setyo Perihatin, estimated that the beginning of the 2024 dry season in the Magelang Regency area began in May Dasarian second.
While the peak of the dry season in Magelang Regency is generally July and August. “Although the dry season is not expected to be as severe as last year, we still ask local governments and communities to anticipate the possible impacts of the long dry season,” he continued
This meeting is a follow-up to the 2024 Dry Season Forecast from BMKG and aims to prepare a disaster management plan in the dry season in Magelang Regency by inventorying all resources available in each relevant Agency and Institution.
At the meeting which was attended by around 50 people sharing elements such as the TNI, POLRI, OPD related to disaster management, volunteer elements and other lemabaga are expected to be able to carry out their roles and functions in the context of disaster risk reduction in the dry season in 2024.