By Brad Rantayy
MIRI, Aug 14: The Miri Division Disaster Management Commitee (MDDMC) with various agencies are on standby to mitigate and manage the impact of haze and bush fires here.
Revealing this yesterday, Minister in-charge of MDDMC Datuk Lee Kim Shin said three task forces had been set up to mitigate the issues during a meeting held here on the same day (August 13).
“MDDMC will be the main coordinator of these task forces, which involved various government agencies,” opined Lee.
He hoped the setting up of the task forces could help to stop peat forest fires and haze incidence which had put people in this division at great risk of suffering from air pollution and health problems for more than 10 years.
The task forces – involving control and preventive management is to be led by the Natural Resources and Environment Board Sarawak (NREB); involvement with the community and landowners (Land and Survey Department) and dissemination of information (Unit Komunikasi Awam Sarawak or UKAS).
“We urge the public to work hand-in-hand with us to ensure that Miri is free from air pollution because of haze and bush and peat fires which have an impact on human health such as respiratory problems, cough, sore throat, watery eyes and asthma”, Lee pointed out.
Also present at the meeting was acting Miri Resident Abdul Azizi Mohd Yusuf, who is also MDDMC chairman.-DayakDaily
