{News} 080808 Sarawak still records healthy air quality despite haze threat

Sarawak still records healthy air quality despite haze threat

Borneo Bulletin, 8 Aug 2008
KUCHING (Bernama) - Sarawak, which is facing the possibility of haze due to the prevailing southwesterly winds bringing in transboundary haze, still recorded a moderately healthy air quality index, State Assistant Minister of Environment Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zen said yesterday.


He said about 400 hotspots were detected in Sumatra and another 221 in Kalimantan, Indonesia while those in Sarawak had shown a decrease to 37 from 51 the previous day.


"As far as the air pollution index (API) in Sarawak is concerned, all recording stations recorded moderately healthy index of below 100, with the highest being reported in Kota Samarahan and Bintulu," he told Bernama.


With rain in various parts of the state helping reduce the impact of haze, the API recorded as at 11am yesterday morning for Kota Samarahan was 73, Bintulu (61), Kapit (53), Kuching (58), Miri (40), Sibu (55), Sarikei (50), Sri Aman (44) and Limbang (37).


He said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan, who is also the State Emergency Committee chairman, was also scheduled to hold a full briefing on the latest situation, which prompted an immediate freezing of open burning permits on Friday, Rauf added.


Source: http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/fri/aug8b3.htm

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