NOORSILA ABD MAJID New Straits Times 10 Oct 17;
PUTRAJAYA: The Natural Resources and Enviroment Ministry has launched a state-of-the-art Environmental Quality Monitoring Programme (EQMP) aimed at improving the existing environmental quality monitoring system.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the EQMP, which is implemented through a concession agreement with environment expert Scieno TW Sdn Bhd, encompasses real-time based data collection for the purpose of air, river and marine monitoring as well as the establishment of the National Environmental Command Centre (NECC).
"If the old system took 30 to 40 minutes to send data to the Department of Environment, this sophisticated new system only takes 10 minutes to send us real-time data," Wan Junaidi told reporters during the launch of the EQMP in his ministry today.
The NECC is located at the Department of Environment headquarters and will serve as a platform to analyse air, river and marine data obtained from environmental quality stations nationwide before being channeled to end users on a real-time basis.
"The NECC will do modelling, forecasting, geospatial mapping, mobile apps, web-based application and live video streaming," he said.
The EQMP will be implemented by Scieno TW for a period of 14 and half years involving a cost of RM855 million.
Manual, automatic and mobile facilities have been set up for incidents of pollution and air quality status across the country.
Hailed as the most expensive project for his ministry, Wan Junaidi said the concession agreement was also signed as part of measures to improve the existing programme with regard to the country’s development and current needs.
He said besides providing information on the current status of the country’s air, river and marine quality, the programme could also be used as an early-warning system.
“EQMP will also help in developing policies and assist in making decisions for the welfare of the people and the country through the provision of enforcement activities, inputs and planning of development projects,” he said.
