Extreme weather effects in Lanny Jaya District being handled well: KSP

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Presidential Staff Office (KSP) ensured that the handling of extreme weather impacts in Lanny Jaya District, Papua, has been going well, Deputy V of KSP Jaleswari Pramodhawardani stated here on Wednesday.

"The government, through the Social Affairs Ministry, coordinates with the Home Ministry, BNPB (the National Disaster Mitigation Agency), and the local government in conducting aid distribution properly. In fact, aid distribution to isolated locations can also be done, even though it must be on foot," she explained.

Pramodhawardani pointed out that the related parties had distributed assistance to people affected by extreme weather in the form of foodstuffs, such as rice and ready-to-eat food, as well as blankets and clothing.

She also dismissed reports that the local community lacked food and suffered from starvation and that someone had died as a result. Pramodhawardani clarified that the illness had caused their demise and not the lack of food supply.

"The accusations and politicization negate the efforts of the local government and ministries/agencies in handling the extreme weather impacts in Lanny Jaya," she stated.

Since June 2022, Lanny Jaya, Papua, has been hit by extreme weather in the form of frost phenomena. Kuyawage, Luarem, and Jugu Nomba are the three affected villages.

The frost phenomenon has led to drought and crop failure. It was reported that 56 yam and vegetable plantations were damaged and 548 households, or 2,740 people, were at risk of experiencing food difficulties.

Pramodhawardani emphasized that President Joko Widodo and all officials had striven incessantly in the fight for the welfare of Papuan people.

She noted that the fight is manifested through the issuance of various policies related to the acceleration of Papua's development and encouragement of food security in Papua's mountainous region through agriculture. (*)