Joko visits haze ground zero

VIP athazeground zeroIndonesian President Joko Widodo (left), accompanied by Indonesian National Defence Forces chief Gen Gatot Nurmantyo, visiting a burned forest at Pulo Keronngan village in Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatra province, on Sunday. Joko, who wanted a first-hand look atforest fires that have been causingthe worst haze in the past few days, ordered police to get tough on firms not complying with the law on open burning. See reports on Pages 12 and 24. — Reuters

JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited South Sumatra province for a first-hand look at forest fires that have been causing the worst haze in the past few days, as officials continue water-bombing and cloud- seeding efforts.

He was accompanied by the police chief, military chief, head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and a senior Envi­ronment and Forestry Ministry official on a last-minute trip on Sunday aimed at stepping up the urgency of putting out the fires.