SEREMBAN, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- The Negeri Sembilan government is intensifying monitoring and enforcement to address the risk of haze and ensure that air quality in the state remains under control amid the current hot and dry weather.
State Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Climate Change, Cooperative and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fairuz Mohd Isa said that although the Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in Nilai, Seremban and Port Dickson remained at a moderate level, monitoring needed to be stepped up, particularly in areas at risk of fires and open burning.
He said the measures would be implemented through cooperation between the Negeri Sembilan Department of Environment (DOE), local authorities, the state Fire and Rescue Department and relevant agencies.
"The state DOE will increase patrols in high-risk areas, particularly agricultural land, vacant land, scrubland and locations with a history of open burning incidents.
"Industrial sources contributing to air pollution must be monitored more closely by ensuring that air pollution control systems are in good condition and operating efficiently," he said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, he said hot and dry weather with prolonged periods without rain could increase the risk of fires in forests, peatlands, agricultural areas and scrubland, thereby contributing to a deterioration in air quality.
He said the El Nino phenomenon was not the main cause of haze, but the hot and dry conditions resulting from the phenomenon could create conditions that made fires more likely to occur.
In this regard, he urged the public not to engage in open burning, monitor API readings and immediately report any incidents of open burning to the authorities.
"Efforts to tackle haze are not solely the responsibility of the government and enforcement agencies, but require the cooperation of the entire community, and the state government will not compromise on activities that could harm the environment and public health," he said.
-- BERNAMA