Students head back to school as haze eases<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Two days of rain have diminished the weeklong
\nthick haze shrouding Riau's provincial capital of Pekanbaru and
\nallowed students to return to school, Antara reported on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Authorities earlier in the week ordered children to remain
\nindoors due to possible health hazards from the haze, which is
\nthe result of spreading forest fires and crop burnings.
\nKindergarten and elementary school students who skipped school
\nsince Monday filled school halls and classrooms on Thursday, the
\nnews agency reported.<\/p>\n
\"Now we can freely play outside with friends... now the sky
\nis clear. It's boring to stay inside all the time,\" said one of
\nthe children.<\/p>\n
The Riau office of the Environmental Impact Agency said last
\nweek that it found two companies which were burning shrubs and
\ntrees to clear land. Police are investigating the report, agency
\nofficials said.<\/p>\n
Smoke from the fires, especially in Sumatra, has drifted to
\nneighboring Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.<\/p>\n
Forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan covered much of the
\nregion with a choking haze for months in 1997 and to a lesser
\nextent in 1998, causing extensive health and traffic problems.<\/p>\n
Separately, ASEAN ministers responsible for transboundary haze
\npollution have decided to meet at the end of this month to assess
\nthe regional haze situation and review the implementation of the
\nASEAN regional haze plan action, an ASEAN media release said on
\nThursday. The site of the meeting was not disclosed.<\/p>\n
The regional grouping has established operational mechanisms
\nto monitor land and forest fires and strengthen fire-fighting
\ncapability.<\/p>\n
A coordinating support unit also has been established at the
\nASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta to facilitate the implementation of
\nthe action plan.<\/p>\n
Forecasts by the ASEAN specialized meteorological center
\nindicate that a moderate La Nina weather phenomenon may persist
\nuntil the end of 1999. Rainfall in most parts of the region is
\nexpected to be near or above normal for the next few months.<\/p>\n
However, many parts of the country, especially Kalimantan and
\nSumatra, are currently in the dry season which usually spans from
\nJune to October.<\/p>\n
With the onset of dry weather, sporadic forest fires and
\nresultant smoke haze are likely to continue affecting the region
\nduring the period, but the chance of widespread regional haze is
\nexpected to be low, the statement noted. (edt)<\/p>",
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