PONTIANAK: Residents of Indonesian Borneo urged the government on Wednesday to do more to combat the wildfires consuming vast tracts of land and emitting a foul haze that has sickened thousands and curtailed daily life for months.
They spoke out as a court in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, began hearing arguments into the admissibility of a case brought against the state by residents in the province of nearly six million people.
"The issue... is not merely about burning forests and land, it is also closely tied to public health, air quality, economic activity, education and the safety of residents," resident Achmad Mundzirin told AFP in Pontianak.
"This lawsuit serves as a means to demand that the government be held accountable for its handling of forest and land fires," the 36-year-old said.
