Heavy rains help bring air quality back to normal

[senorpepr]

KUALA LUMPUR: Heavy rains in most parts of Sumatra since last week and in several parts of Peninsular Malaysia's west coast since Monday have contributed significantly to bringing the air quality back to normal levels.

Department of Environment (DOE) air division director Che Asmah Ibrahim said satellite images confirmed no new hotspots were reported in Sumatra.

However, she said, three hotspots were recorded in Gua Musang, Batu Pahat and Rompin and a few more were identified in Kalimantan.

“We have already directed our officers in three states (Pahang, Johor and Kelantan) to investigate the sources of open burning and take necessary actions, including reprimanding the culprits who caused the fires,” she told Bernama.

Che Asmah said stern action by Indonesian law enforcers in prosecuting farmers and plantation owners who were traditionally linked to open burning in most parts of Sumatra had also helped ease the situation.

On June 24, the DOE ordered a total ban on open burning in most parts of the country after 293 hotspots were reported in Sumatra, 26 in Kalimantan and two near Kuching.

“We are getting full co-operation from our counterparts in Indonesia, including daily reports on the weather condition in Sumatra and Kalimantan,” Che Asmah said.

She said even though the DOE had predicted that the west coast of the peninsula would likely be free from haze for the next few weeks, its officers would be on alert until the end of September, following forecasts by the Meteorological Services Department that the current dry spell would last for another two months.

http://thestaronline.com/news/story.asp ... sec=nation

[Wnghs2007]

Its a good thing to help keep those people alive. Some bad air quality and some fires. Man that must suck

[senorpepr]

No kidding... they had been experiencing a lot of smog that reduced visibilities down to 2-3 miles. Things are much better now.