RI takes action against forest fires

RI takes action against forest fires

SINGAPORE (Reuters): Indonesia is taking action to curb fires
raging in Sumatra and Kalimantan which have been driving up
regional pollution levels, Singapore's environment ministry said
on Wednesday.

"Indonesia reported that they had already activated a 24-hour
command post to monitor the fire situation, mobilized helicopters
to check the hot spots and issued warning letters to forest
concessionaires and plantation owners against using fire to clear
land," the environment ministry said in a statement.

"They have also taken action to mitigate the fires," it said.
Officials from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the ASEAN
secretariat held a video conference on Tuesday to discuss ways of
tackling the fires and smoke haze accompanying it.

Indonesia told the meeting that it was also considering a
proposal to ban open burning during the dry season between July
and September.

Indonesia drew harsh criticism from its neighbors in 1997 when
smoke from fires lit by slash-and-burn farmers blanketed large
parts of Southeast Asia, hurting tourism and prompting health
concerns across the region.

Skies over Thailand and Malaysia were blackened by smoke from
plantation fires through much of last week. Favorable winds have
helped keep Singapore's pollution readings in the "moderate"
category.

The next meeting of environment officials is scheduled for
Aug. 2 in Brunei.