Increase In APU Reading In Sarawak Since Sept 1 - NREB

KUCHING,  Sept 6 (Bernama) --The air quality in Sarawak has shown an increasing trend in Air Pollution Index (APU) readings since last Sept 1 with the Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) in Serian recording an unhealthy IPU reading as of 9 am today. 

Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB), in a statement today, stated that the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) detected an increase in the number of hotspots between Sept 1 and 5 with 20 of them in Sarawak and 1,825 in Kalimantan, Indonesia. 

It said the country is expected to receive consistent winds from the southwest with the beginning of the Southwest Monsoon on May 1.

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"This situation has the potential to cause cross-border haze and deterioration of ambient air quality in the Sarawak region," it said, adding that it has taken steps to activate the haze operation room and field patrol following the weather conditions.

It has also stopped issuing controlled burning permits, as well as issued notices on the open burning ban to all project developers and organised awareness programmes with other agencies to ensure the air quality is maintained.

NREB also called on the relevant government agencies and the public to jointly take responsibility in dealing with the cause of the haze and reducing the risk of haze. 

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The public is also advised to take several measures such as drinking enough water, reducing outdoor activities and wearing a face mask (N95) when doing outdoor activities, especially those in high-risk groups.  

In the meantime, the NREB warned the public not to do open burning activities that could cause air pollution, especially during the dry season.

The public, it said, is also requested to help in extinguishing small fires and reporting cases of open burning to the nearby NREB office.

-- BERNAMA