SEREMBAN: The Negeri Sembilan government has activated its state-level response plan under the National Haze Action Plan and National Open Burning Action Plan following directives from the Department of Environment (DOE).
State Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Climate Change, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman S. Veerapan confirmed the move after the Air Pollutant Index (API) surpassed 150 for 24 consecutive hours.
“The state government will intensify patrols and enforcement against open burning activities, especially in high-risk agricultural and industrial areas.
“We will also assess the implementation of cloud seeding technology in collaboration with federal agencies should air pollution levels continue to rise,” he said in a statement.
Veerapan urged residents to report open burning via the DOE complaint hotline and support sustainability efforts.
According to the DOE’s Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS), eight areas in Peninsular Malaysia recorded unhealthy API levels as of 6 pm.
Alor Gajah in Melaka recorded the highest reading at 157, followed by Seremban (155), Kemaman (153), Banting (152), Temerloh (152), Balok Baru (152), Nilai (146), and Johan Setia (140).
An API between 101 and 200 is considered unhealthy, posing risks to vulnerable groups like the elderly, children, and those with respiratory conditions. – Bernama
