Ending the haze problem

Ending the haze problem

It appears that the thick haze hanging over parts of the
region since last month is not about to dissipate. Rather, the
problem seems to be getting worse.

The haze now plagues not only parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan
but also areas in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore. It not only
hampers land and air transportation but has become a health
hazard.

Many people have complained that the haze is causing breathing
difficulties and eye inflammations. It is reported that not less
than 20 million people are currently suffering from respiratory
problems due to the haze.

Similar problems were reported when haze from smoke spread to
these same regions in 1991 and again in 1994 and 1997. Forest and
brush fires were the main sources of the problem. The worst
offenders, however, were agricultural estates which use fire for
land clearing.

Regardless of the cause, as Minister of Environment Sarwono
said in Jakarta on Tuesday, the problem has reached serious
levels. A routine approach to the problem would therefore be
unlikely to end it, he said. What is needed at this stage is a
sense of urgency.

The relevant focus now is the concrete steps that can be taken
to overcome the problem given its increasing gravity. The planned
meeting of corporate leaders, to discuss the issue, brings some
hope.

Such a meeting, hopefully, will be able to suggest some
concrete measures to end the haze problem. Apart from this, we
expect that ways can be found to curb the practice of slash-and-
burn agriculture.

In the meantime, our environment experts could try to come up
with suggestions about how farmers and companies can clear their
land without the use of fire.

-- Suara Karya, Jakarta