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26-09-2015, 11:20 AM
An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:
PAP: you broke my law in another country! what can I do about you?
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobil...4/2149996.html (http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/singapore/nea-sends-notice-to-4/2149996.html)
NEA sends notice to 4 Indonesian firms with suspected links to fires
By Xabryna Kek
POSTED: 25 Sep 2015 18:29 UPDATED: 25 Sep 2015 23:04
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SINGAPORE: Hazy conditions in the Very Unhealthy range are expected to persist through Saturday (Sep 26), said the National Environment Agency (NEA).
In a media briefing, NEA said that at 5am on Friday, the reading on the 3-hour Pollutants Standard Index (PSI) hit a high of 341 this year, before dipping to below 100 for a few hours in the afternoon. The 24-hour PSI also hit a high of 322 at 8am.
SCHOOLS TO REOPEN ON MONDAY (SEP 28) UNLESS AIR QUALITY REACHES HAZARDOUS LEVEL
The Ministry of Education (MOE) ordered all primary and secondary schools to close on Friday after haze levels reached Hazardous levels on Thursday.
NEA said that as of 10.30am on Friday, about 3,300 students reported to school, which is less than 1 per cent of the total primary and secondary school cohort. As of 4pm, about 30 students reported to the ten MOE kindergartens, which is about three per cent of the total cohort.
About 98 per cent of childcare centres received children, added NEA, as these "cater to working parents who may not have alternative arrangements".
All primary and secondary schools will reopen on Monday, unless NEA's 24-hour PSI forecast issued on Sunday (Sep 27) evening indicates that the air quality could be at the Hazardous level.
Should there be school closures, MOE will issue a press release and parents will be informed through schools on Sunday.
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said that the haze is a man-made problem which has gone on for too long.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan speaking at the technical briefing on Friday (Sep 25). (Photo: Xabryna Kek)
"It cannot be tolerated. It has caused major impact on the health, society and economy of our region," said Dr Balakrishnan. "Just yesterday we had to close our primary and secondary schools. The last time we had to take this measure was in 2003 during the SARS episode."
He added that the Singapore Government has been in "constant contact" with Indonesian officials and commended Indonesia on their efforts in fighting the fires.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Dr Balakrishnan have all communicated directly with the Indonesian authorities on Sep 17, 18, 10, and 14 respectively.
"We have repeatedly offered our assistance, and asked for information on companies suspected to have caused the fires," he said.
TRANSBOUNDARY HAZE POLLUTION ACT IN EFFECT
NEA also said that the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act 2014 (THPA) came into effect on Friday. The threshold for the act is the 24-hour PSI remaining at 101 or higher for 24 continuous hours or longer.
Since Sep 10, NEA said the haze pollution under THPA has occurred over four periods.
1. From 10am on Sep 10 to 2am on Sep 12: Continuous period of 41 hours;
2. From 8pm on Sep 12 to 8am on Sep 17: Continuous period of 109 hours;
3. From 1am on Sep 19 to 9am on Sep 20: Continuous period of 33 hours; and
4. From 5pm on Sep 22 and ongoing: Continuous period of 72 hours and still counting as of Sep 25, 5pm.
NEA is currently investigating and gathering evidence through ongoing monitoring of hotspots and smoke plumes from fires, and obtaining information from sources such as maps, meteorological data and satellite imagery. They can also ask the company to undertake preventive measures, discontinue or not start burning activities, and submit a plan of action to extinguish or prevent the spread of fire.
Dr Balakrishnan added that Indonesia has taken some positive measures. "They informed us that thousands of troops and some aircraft had been deployed to engage in fire-fighting efforts," he said. On Indonesia's Sumatra island, the license of a company has been revoked by the Environment and Forestry Ministry, and three companies that operate palm oil plantations have also been suspended.
So far, NEA has sent Preventative Measure Notices to four companies suspected of starting fires, and written to Indonesian officials for the names of errant companies. From its investigations, haze-causing fires may have occurred on land concessions held by four Indonesian companies. The companies are: PT Rimba Hutani Mas, PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries, PT Bumi Sriwijaya Sentosa and PT Wachyuni Mandira.
In addition, NEA has served notice to Asia Pulp and Paper Company, an Indonesian company with an office in Singapore, seeking information on its subsidiaries in Singapore and Indonesia, as well as measures taken by its suppliers in Indonesia to put out fires in their concessions.
The maximum fine for companies found guilty of starting fires is S$100,000 per day, capped at S$2 million in total.
"We will share our results with the public whenever possible," said Dr Balakrishnan. "The Government will also review our procurement practices to see how we can weed out errant companies. We will therefore expect companies to be transparent about their supply chains, particularly those involved in the palm oil and forestry sectors. Ultimately, errant companies must know there must be a price to be paid for damaging our health, the environment and economy."
- CNA/wl
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://www.singsupplies.com/showthread.php?217076-Vivian-Balakrisnan-began-Haze-Wayang-but-completely-useless&goto=newpost).
PAP: you broke my law in another country! what can I do about you?
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobil...4/2149996.html (http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/singapore/nea-sends-notice-to-4/2149996.html)
NEA sends notice to 4 Indonesian firms with suspected links to fires
By Xabryna Kek
POSTED: 25 Sep 2015 18:29 UPDATED: 25 Sep 2015 23:04
Please enable Javascript to watch this video
A
A
SINGAPORE: Hazy conditions in the Very Unhealthy range are expected to persist through Saturday (Sep 26), said the National Environment Agency (NEA).
In a media briefing, NEA said that at 5am on Friday, the reading on the 3-hour Pollutants Standard Index (PSI) hit a high of 341 this year, before dipping to below 100 for a few hours in the afternoon. The 24-hour PSI also hit a high of 322 at 8am.
SCHOOLS TO REOPEN ON MONDAY (SEP 28) UNLESS AIR QUALITY REACHES HAZARDOUS LEVEL
The Ministry of Education (MOE) ordered all primary and secondary schools to close on Friday after haze levels reached Hazardous levels on Thursday.
NEA said that as of 10.30am on Friday, about 3,300 students reported to school, which is less than 1 per cent of the total primary and secondary school cohort. As of 4pm, about 30 students reported to the ten MOE kindergartens, which is about three per cent of the total cohort.
About 98 per cent of childcare centres received children, added NEA, as these "cater to working parents who may not have alternative arrangements".
All primary and secondary schools will reopen on Monday, unless NEA's 24-hour PSI forecast issued on Sunday (Sep 27) evening indicates that the air quality could be at the Hazardous level.
Should there be school closures, MOE will issue a press release and parents will be informed through schools on Sunday.
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said that the haze is a man-made problem which has gone on for too long.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan speaking at the technical briefing on Friday (Sep 25). (Photo: Xabryna Kek)
"It cannot be tolerated. It has caused major impact on the health, society and economy of our region," said Dr Balakrishnan. "Just yesterday we had to close our primary and secondary schools. The last time we had to take this measure was in 2003 during the SARS episode."
He added that the Singapore Government has been in "constant contact" with Indonesian officials and commended Indonesia on their efforts in fighting the fires.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Dr Balakrishnan have all communicated directly with the Indonesian authorities on Sep 17, 18, 10, and 14 respectively.
"We have repeatedly offered our assistance, and asked for information on companies suspected to have caused the fires," he said.
TRANSBOUNDARY HAZE POLLUTION ACT IN EFFECT
NEA also said that the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act 2014 (THPA) came into effect on Friday. The threshold for the act is the 24-hour PSI remaining at 101 or higher for 24 continuous hours or longer.
Since Sep 10, NEA said the haze pollution under THPA has occurred over four periods.
1. From 10am on Sep 10 to 2am on Sep 12: Continuous period of 41 hours;
2. From 8pm on Sep 12 to 8am on Sep 17: Continuous period of 109 hours;
3. From 1am on Sep 19 to 9am on Sep 20: Continuous period of 33 hours; and
4. From 5pm on Sep 22 and ongoing: Continuous period of 72 hours and still counting as of Sep 25, 5pm.
NEA is currently investigating and gathering evidence through ongoing monitoring of hotspots and smoke plumes from fires, and obtaining information from sources such as maps, meteorological data and satellite imagery. They can also ask the company to undertake preventive measures, discontinue or not start burning activities, and submit a plan of action to extinguish or prevent the spread of fire.
Dr Balakrishnan added that Indonesia has taken some positive measures. "They informed us that thousands of troops and some aircraft had been deployed to engage in fire-fighting efforts," he said. On Indonesia's Sumatra island, the license of a company has been revoked by the Environment and Forestry Ministry, and three companies that operate palm oil plantations have also been suspended.
So far, NEA has sent Preventative Measure Notices to four companies suspected of starting fires, and written to Indonesian officials for the names of errant companies. From its investigations, haze-causing fires may have occurred on land concessions held by four Indonesian companies. The companies are: PT Rimba Hutani Mas, PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries, PT Bumi Sriwijaya Sentosa and PT Wachyuni Mandira.
In addition, NEA has served notice to Asia Pulp and Paper Company, an Indonesian company with an office in Singapore, seeking information on its subsidiaries in Singapore and Indonesia, as well as measures taken by its suppliers in Indonesia to put out fires in their concessions.
The maximum fine for companies found guilty of starting fires is S$100,000 per day, capped at S$2 million in total.
"We will share our results with the public whenever possible," said Dr Balakrishnan. "The Government will also review our procurement practices to see how we can weed out errant companies. We will therefore expect companies to be transparent about their supply chains, particularly those involved in the palm oil and forestry sectors. Ultimately, errant companies must know there must be a price to be paid for damaging our health, the environment and economy."
- CNA/wl
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://www.singsupplies.com/showthread.php?217076-Vivian-Balakrisnan-began-Haze-Wayang-but-completely-useless&goto=newpost).