More bad news. As the Port Klang API hit a very unhealthy 275 at 8.00pm today while Banting crept up to 215. Selangor has urged school principals around Klang to use their discretion to temporarily close schools after consulting with the Department of Education.
The following statement was released by Selangor State ExCo for the Environment Elizabeth Wong:
THE API Reading at Port Klang has breached the 200 (“very unhealthy”), recording 203 at 1 pm today and since has shown an upward trend. Other parts of Selangor have also recorded a high of above 100 (“unhealthy”).
The recently amended National Haze Action Plan has sanctioned that schools can be closed when the API reading hits 200. I urge school principals around Klang to use their discretion to temporarily close down their schools after consulting the local Department of Education.
Once API readings go beyond 100, it is advised that all outdoor activities be minimised and to have face masks on at all times outdoors.
The Selangor State Government will start distributing the first batch of 180,000 single-use face masks effective March 14. These face masks will be available at all State Assemblyman’s offices throughout the state.
Since January this year, the Fire & Rescue Services Department (JBPM) has been working round the clock to put out fires with the help of the local councils and district offices. However they are overwhelmed by an unprecedented number of cases. As such I urge local residents and volunteer organisations to also help in putting out the small fires in their neighbourhoods.
While the Selangor State Government is of the opinion that today’s haze is a combination of transboundary and local sources, multiple agencies in Selangor including local councils, district offices and Forestry departments are assisting JBPM to put out local fires. The total ban on open burning remains.
As of today, the Selangor Department of Environment (DOE) has already initiated 12 Investigation Papers (IPs), with the intention of prosecuting the culprits involved in open burning on private lots. Under the Environmental Quality Act 1974, any person who is caught for open burning shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.
As of 1800 hours 13th March 2014, these are the areas which are being attended to by joint operations of multiple agencies led by JBPM Negeri Selangor and monitored by Department of Environment on the ground and using information from the ASEAN hotspot map:-
1. KM 21.5 Kesas Highway – 2 acres
2. Sungai Tinggi/Tengi, Hulu Selangor – 380 acres
3. Sungai Bendana, Merbau Berdarah – 73 acres
4. KM 24.8 Elite Highway (Pulau Kempas) – 60 acres
5. Felcra Estate, Kuala Langat – 15 acres
6. Jalan Sopan, Klang – 5 acres
7. Tanjung 12 – 5 acres
Selangor had earlier requested for the assistance of the Maritime Police Bombadier squad for water bombing services in Kuala Langat last week. However this attempt proved to be unsuccessful on peat soil and it has since been suspended.
Elizabeth Wong,
Selangor State ExCo for Tourism, Consumer Affairs and the Environment
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By the way, Malaysia API (Air pollution index) is literally outdated.
You can have a “God know how they mix match that) almost clear sky API 80, but the air if filled up with unhealthy level of PM 10 and PM2.5 particulate.
People, get your facts right before replace those rubbish from Bolehland(TM)(AKA Malaysia) official and media. 1. Cities is surrounded by sub-urban, it is NORMAL for rural people to BURN rubbish which include both organic and non organic rubbish. All evidence is left in the ground but NO municipal council act on it as Bolehland government though it is part of “local culture”. 2. The country humidity is high, 70~75%+. Organic material (e,g, leaves)will not burn spontaneously. Anyone who learn to make compost mix in Malaysia will know that, you need a huge pile of compost (more than 0.5 meters thick)… Read more »
“haze is a problem caused by Indonesia”??? Ananar, have you read what Anil posted above about the tens, even hundreds, of acres of Selangor burning and churning out smoke? Oh… that was basewd on statement from Elizabeth Wong… jadi kaki Pakatan kan? OK… the DG of the Malaysian Metrological Dept said: The Meteorological Department said it again today: the worsening haze in the country is still our own doing. Director-general Datuk Che Gayah Ismail said that there were more than 600 open burning spots recorded nationwide yesterday, which caused air quality in several parts of the country to worsen dramatically… Read more »
LGE should make Penang the first state to ban open burning permanently. Smog is definitely more detrimental to health compared to plastic bag. We want to wake up to fresh air instead of acrid smell of burned rubbish in the morning.
Lose court case, they blame the govt. MH 370 blame the govt. Now haze also blame the govt. DAP, PKR and PAS only know how to complain complain complain but do not to accept the fact that their conviction (aNWAR & kARPAL) is based on LAW, mh 370 is an accident and the haze is a problem caused by Indonesia. Just only want to cari pasal
It’s worse than 241 API; at 7pm, it was 255. And Klangt schools are closed tomorrow: …the Selangor Education Department ordered all the 131 schools in the Klang district to close tomorrow due to the haze. This evening, the Air Pollutant Index (API) reached 255 in the ‘very unhealthy’ range. See: Klang Valley Haze: Klang district schools ordered to close tomorrow due to haze (7pm update) http://news.abnxcess.com/2014/03/klang-valley-haze-klang-district-schools-ordered-to-close-tomorrow-due-to-haze-7pm-update/ So are we to hold our breaths [not only because of the haze] while we wait for arrests of the idiots carrying out the open burning? Will they be charged in court and… Read more »