Brunei Calls For A Stop In Open Burning Activities
Komfie Manalo - All Headline News Foreign Correspondent Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei (AHN) - The government of Brunei has ordered a ban in the deforestation process known as "open burning," citing a growing risk of forest fires in the region. The states Fera Pai newspaper says the Department of Environment, Recreation and Parks has ordered the ban to be put in effect immediately. The report adds that since July 20, the ASEAN Meteorological Center has recorded a number of areas in the region considered as hot spots for forest fires. There are currently between 40 and 250 known hot spots on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. However, researchers say the air quality in Brunei remains healthy. The pollutant standard readings recorded from air quality monitoring stations in four districts listed normal levels. The Environmental Department is constantly monitoring the quality of air while the Fire and Rescue Department is busy extinguishing brush and forest fires in the hot spots. More than 200 Indonesian firefighters have been battling more than 170 raging ground and forest fires on the Indonesian part of Borneo since Tuesday. Authorities say there have been a record number of fires caused by open burning activities to clear land in commercial timber or palm oil plantations in 2006.
Article © All Headline News - All Rights Reserved
|
