Air quality here being monitored and there is enough water for dry spell, says Yaacob
Huang Huifen, Straits Times 22 Feb 09;
Singapore has not been affected by the haze from forest fires on Indonesia's Sumatra island.
Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, gave this assurance yesterday when asked by reporters on the sidelines of a Mendaki event at Fort Canning Park.
Media reports last week stated that haze from forest fires in Indonesia's Riau islands was blowing towards Singapore, and the number of hot spots there was rising.
'The more important point is the project we have in Jambi. Now, the data is coming online, we are monitoring the air quality and it showed that there are no fires in the Muaro Jambi area,' he said.
'We hope the collaboration that Riau has with Malaysia will also bear fruit, as the countries in the region take responsibility for this problem.'
He also urged Singaporeans to do their part in preventing bush fires.
A record 292 fires have broken out in the bushland and forested areas here over the past two months.
Dr Yaacob stressed the importance of not littering, especially with cigarette butts.
Singaporeans must also stay vigilant and alert the authorities immediately if there is a fire.
'The bush fires may be small but they contribute to the haze and it will not improve our air quality,' he said.
He also emphasised that the nation's water resources are enough to ride out the current dry spell.
He said: 'We have Newater and desalinated water, both of which are independent of rainfall. So if need be, we can always ramp up production.
'I don't think Singaporeans should be alarmed.'
Haze continues to blanket Dumai
The Jakarta Post 21 Feb 09;
While rain has helped clear haze in Pekanbaru, citizens of Dumai – also in Riau province – have yet to see relief as thick haze continues to blanket the city.
Head of the Dumai Health Agency Agus Widayat said Saturday that the city has instructed citizens to reduce outdoor activity and to wear masks to decrease the risk of health problems.
Agus said the blanket of haze was at its worst on Thursday, when visibility was reduced to just 20 meters, forcing car drivers to turn on their lights during the day.
“The haze is still thick today, even though it's not as thick as two days ago,” he said as quoted by state news agency Antara.
The local weather agency has reported that, based on satellite observations, there were 48 haze hotspots in Riau province, seven of which were in Dumai.
Earlier this month, the province declared a state of alert over thickening smog created by the annual burning of rainforests. (dre)
Rain clears haze in Pekanbaru
The Jakarta Post 21 Feb 09;
Moderate rain which began on Friday has cleared thick haze cause by forest fires that had blanketed Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau province, the local weather agency reported Saturday.
Syarif Kasim, a staff member at the local Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said visibility in the city has improved from two kilometers in the past days to four kilometers on Saturday.
“We still have haze, but its no longer thick,” he said as quoted by Antara news agency.
The agency also reported that, based on satellite observation, there were 48 hotspots in Riau province.
Earlier this month, the province declared a state of alert over thickening smog haze created by the annual burning of rainforests. (dre)
