Haze Emergency Status Revoked in Riau
November 01, 2015
The Riau Environment Agency revoked the haze emergency status due to land and forest fires in the Province, as the air pollution standard index stood at “healthy” level.
“The air pollution emergency status was ended on November 1, 2015. The air quality in Riau has returned to healthy,” Riau Environment Agency head Yulwirawati Moesa said on Monday, November 02.
According to Yulwirawati, the air quality improvement in Riau was caused by rain over the last five days. In addition, the level of visibility improves to 5,000 meters in Pekanbaru and Rengat, 3,000 meters in Pelalawan and 8,000 meters in Dumai.
Yulwirawati added that changes in wind direction contributed to the air quality improvement in Riau.
“Haze in Riau came from other areas,” she added.
However, Yulwirawati said that the emergency status for land and forest fires would remain active, since Riau could experience hot weather in February 2016. Yulwirawati said that the Riau administration had started canal construction to prevent land and forest fires, particularly on peatlands.
Currently, Riau has completed 3,354 canal developments on lands owned by companies and communities to prevent peatlands from drying out. Yulwirawati added that the Riau administration planned to restore peatlands by turning them into conservational areas and issue a moratorium for peatland concessions.
“No more licensing for peatland concessions,” Yulwirawati said.
Source: en.tempo.co
