Related Smoke, Indonesia Government Should Answer This Challenge
Related Smoke, Indonesia Government Should Answer This Challenge
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SINGAPORE - Air pollution in Singapore has risen to the 'unhealthy' level as acrid smoke drifted over the island from fires on Indonesia's Sumatra island, the city-state's National Environment Agency (NEA) said, in a repeat of an annual crisis.
The 24 hour Pollution Standards Index (PSI), which the NEA uses as a benchmark, rose as high as 105 in the afternoon a level above 100 is considered 'unhealthy'.
NEA said PSI was at 165 as of 04.00 GMT on Friday. The reading for the 24 hour period, however, was on the higher band of the moderate range.
PSI levels above 100 are deemed unhealthy and people are advised to reduce vigorous outdoor activity. A cloud of greyish smoke swept across the island, accompanied by a strong smell of burning foliage.
NEA said it planned a 'daily haze advisory' as 'a burning smell and slight haze were experienced over many areas' in Singapore.
Indonesia government via Head of Data Information and Public Relations of National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, from air monitoring and ground task force report the hotspots forest and land fires are found in Rokan Hilir, Bagan and Sinembah Pujud area.
In addition, land and fires forest are also found in Bengkalis, Kampar, Rokan Hulu, and Dumai. Satellite observations of Lapan reported there were 17 points in Riau on Friday (08/26) morning.
While the Task Force Command Post Integrated Land and Forest Fire Control reported there are 67 Riau Province hotspots in Riau with a confidence level of more than 50 percent, which in Rokan Hilir 44, 17 Bengkalis, Siak, Rokan Hulu 4 and 2 on Friday (08/26) morning ,
Hostpot data is consistent with the results of air patrols in the field. Sufficiently dense smoke billowing from the hotspot. Based on the analysis of the distribution of hotspots, wind direction, the spread of smoke from satellite and air quality showed that smoke forest and land fires in Riau carried by the wind to the east, southeast and northeast to reach Singapore.
"The concentration of smoke observed is still quite thin. Directions atmospheric wind Riau dominant move from west, northwest to east, southeast, which is then around western Singapore leads to the northeast. This is the pattern of movement of the wind in the dry season in Riau who always feared bringing smoke from Riau to Singapore as well as in the previous year as the current land and forest fires in 2013, 2014 and 2015," said Sutopo.
Indonesia repeatedly vows to stop the fires but each year they return. This year, Indonesia has arrested 454 people in connection with the smoke pollution.
When heavy, the choking smog closes airports and schools and prompts warnings to residents to stay indoors. Pollution levels in neighbouring Malaysia were normal on Friday.
Singapore has pushed Indonesia for information on companies suspected of causing pollution, some of which are listed on Singapore's stock exchange.
A forest campaigner for the environmental group Greenpeace Indonesia, Yuyun Indradi, said the Government was struggling to enforce laws to prevent the drainage of peatland for plantations and the setting of fires to clear land.
"It has become a challenge for the Government to enforce accountability among concession holders, to enforce its directives on blocking canals, and push companies to take part in efforts to restore peatland and prevent fires," Indradi said.
"Now is the time for the government to answer this challenge. It is in the law," he added.
Greenpeace said, according to its satellite information, there were 138 fires across Indonesia on Friday.
The 24 hour Pollution Standards Index (PSI), which the NEA uses as a benchmark, rose as high as 105 in the afternoon a level above 100 is considered 'unhealthy'.
NEA said PSI was at 165 as of 04.00 GMT on Friday. The reading for the 24 hour period, however, was on the higher band of the moderate range.
PSI levels above 100 are deemed unhealthy and people are advised to reduce vigorous outdoor activity. A cloud of greyish smoke swept across the island, accompanied by a strong smell of burning foliage.
NEA said it planned a 'daily haze advisory' as 'a burning smell and slight haze were experienced over many areas' in Singapore.
Indonesia government via Head of Data Information and Public Relations of National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, from air monitoring and ground task force report the hotspots forest and land fires are found in Rokan Hilir, Bagan and Sinembah Pujud area.
In addition, land and fires forest are also found in Bengkalis, Kampar, Rokan Hulu, and Dumai. Satellite observations of Lapan reported there were 17 points in Riau on Friday (08/26) morning.
While the Task Force Command Post Integrated Land and Forest Fire Control reported there are 67 Riau Province hotspots in Riau with a confidence level of more than 50 percent, which in Rokan Hilir 44, 17 Bengkalis, Siak, Rokan Hulu 4 and 2 on Friday (08/26) morning ,
Hostpot data is consistent with the results of air patrols in the field. Sufficiently dense smoke billowing from the hotspot. Based on the analysis of the distribution of hotspots, wind direction, the spread of smoke from satellite and air quality showed that smoke forest and land fires in Riau carried by the wind to the east, southeast and northeast to reach Singapore.
"The concentration of smoke observed is still quite thin. Directions atmospheric wind Riau dominant move from west, northwest to east, southeast, which is then around western Singapore leads to the northeast. This is the pattern of movement of the wind in the dry season in Riau who always feared bringing smoke from Riau to Singapore as well as in the previous year as the current land and forest fires in 2013, 2014 and 2015," said Sutopo.
Indonesia repeatedly vows to stop the fires but each year they return. This year, Indonesia has arrested 454 people in connection with the smoke pollution.
When heavy, the choking smog closes airports and schools and prompts warnings to residents to stay indoors. Pollution levels in neighbouring Malaysia were normal on Friday.
Singapore has pushed Indonesia for information on companies suspected of causing pollution, some of which are listed on Singapore's stock exchange.
A forest campaigner for the environmental group Greenpeace Indonesia, Yuyun Indradi, said the Government was struggling to enforce laws to prevent the drainage of peatland for plantations and the setting of fires to clear land.
"It has become a challenge for the Government to enforce accountability among concession holders, to enforce its directives on blocking canals, and push companies to take part in efforts to restore peatland and prevent fires," Indradi said.
"Now is the time for the government to answer this challenge. It is in the law," he added.
Greenpeace said, according to its satellite information, there were 138 fires across Indonesia on Friday.
(rnz)
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