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Issue of the day: Pollution hits 16-year high in Singapore
June 19, Online/APSingaporeans rolled back military training, kept cough-stricken children indoors and considered wearing protective masks on Tuesday after smoky haze triggered by forest fires in neighboring Indonesia caused air pollution to briefly hit its worst level in nearly 16 years
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em>June 19, Online/AP
Singaporeans rolled back military training, kept cough-stricken children indoors and considered wearing protective masks on Tuesday after smoky haze triggered by forest fires in neighboring Indonesia caused air pollution to briefly hit its worst level in nearly 16 years.
The Pollutant Standards Index, Singapore's main measure to determine air quality, crept into the 'unhealthy' classification on Monday as smoke from roaring blazes on Sumatra drifted across the sea and cast a gray pall over the city state's skyscrapers.
The index reached a reading of 155 Monday night, the highest level since late 1997, when officials reported a 226 reading.
On Tuesday, the reading mostly hovered between 104 and 123, still within the 'unhealthy' range of between 101 and 200.
Your comments:
It's too simple to blame the farmers.
The fact is that they may be part of the problem, but the bigger problem is the investment in palm oil plantations (often Singaporean companies and individuals).
Bobby Singh
I believe the slash-and-burn clearing of land is carried out by oil palm plantations and farmers.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is progressive-minded and I strongly believe he is very upset about this transboundary haze caused by his citizens.
A humble and great person like him will use all offers of help so Sumatrans and Singaporeans will enjoy clean air and in the future; enjoy air quality comparable to Swiss mountains.
I wonder what other nation's still practice slash-and-burn?
Tant KT
Indonesian bush fires are a hazard not only at home, but to its neighbors.
What a disgrace.
The cost of this pollution ' health problems, days off work etc. ' should be evaluated and the Indonesia should foot the bill.
Only then would the authorities realize that burning is not a 'cheap' way of clearing land.
Sabar Paijo
It is remarkable to once again read that small farmers are blamed for forest fires.
Local farmers know very well how to control fire. Most large fires occur in concession areas that need to be cleaned.
Slash-and-burn farmers have repeatedly been blamed for causing forest fires.
Several studies on the 1996 fires showed that most fires occurred in the concession areas of large logging companies.
Blaming the poor for causing environmental problems ' their culture an obstacle to progress and their ignorance as explanation for the lack of economic progress ' is a general response from the elite, policymakers in Indonesia.
Is it probably aimed at dodging responsibility.
Gerben Nooteboom
