4-Month-Old & 59YO Have Allegedly Died Due To Haze Condition In Indonesia

2019-09-17 , 3:00 pm

There we go again as if like an annual festival, the haze is back – yet again.

Some of you may remember one of the worst haze condition in Singapore back in 2015 where the highest 3-hour PSI read was 471.

As a result of that, we have got a number of memes.

And, seems like its the season to reuse these memes again.

Haze Is Officially Back

This was the view from our office last Saturday, 14 September 2019:

Feels like Genting, except this is at Bukit Batok Cresent. Taken with a phone that’s worse than iPhone 3S.

So, that time of the year is back and haze is back.

This time around with PSI level hitting an all-new high since 2016.

On 14 September 2019, it was reported that the air quality in Singapore had taken a sharp turn for the worse with PSI reading hitting over 100 in the west.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) also announced that school will be closing if the air quality forecast enters “Hazardous” level, which is a PSI reading of above 300.

But, according to Channel NewsAsia, Singapore’s air quality is forecasted to “gradually improve” if the current wind conditions continue.

Here’s the current PSI reading as of 17 September 2019, 10.14am:

Not the best, but not bad enough to get MOE to close the schools.

Sorry kids!

Unfortunately, that’s not the case in Indonesia as deaths, believed to be caused by the haze, have been reported.

Two Deaths Due To Haze Reported

Lest you have forgotten, back in 2015, MOE did close all Primary and Secondary schools from 25 to 28 September 2015 due to the worsening haze condition.

Indonesia, too, suffered huge consequences back in 2015 as 19 people died due to the forest fire – either while fighting the fire, or due to pollution – and with half a million respiratory tract infections reported.

Regrettably, tragedy seems to be repeating itself this year.

Two people, including an infant, are believed to have died due to the worsening haze situation in Sumatra.

The four-month-old infant was said to be rushed to the hospital an hour and a half away from her home back in Talang Bulu village in Banyuasin regency but had unfortunately passed due to respiratory problems.

A 59-year-old man who lived in Pekanbaru was found dead on 25 August sitting against a tree in his plantation surrounded by thick smog.

Adding on to that, it was also reported that the forest fires have claimed multiple lives as people were trying to fight the raging flames.

Basic Rights Breached

With the death toll on the rise and many citizens reportedly facing issues with their daily lives due to the haze condition, five non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have demanded the government to disclose the list of companies who were involved in the forest fire.

The NGOs have also claimed that basic human rights are being breached due to the raging fire and are requesting sufficient emergency responses to affected residents.

Disaster management agency Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPM) also reported that the burning was intended for only forested areas to be burnt, while palm oil plantations and cultivations remain undamaged.

Flights Affected Last Friday

If you don’t already know, more than 500 passengers were left stranded in Ipoh last Friday, 13 September 2019, due to poor visibility caused by haze.

Four flights, including two from Scoot Airline, and one each from Malindo Air and Air Asia, were also being diverted to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SAAS) instead of arriving at Ipoh.

Scoot also had two other flights re-scheduled due to the poor weather condition.

When interviewed, a market research consultant, Madam Lee, had said that the visibility at Kuala Lumpur airport was really poor. She added that planes were seen “vanishing” from sight on the runway before they take off.

Palm Oil Companies Are The Culprits

While it is reported that the Indonesian land started burning since early June due to the start of the dry season, it is believed that palm oil companies are the one responsible for the forest fires.

It is reported that this practice of forest clearance is a cheaper way for these companies to clear the land for its new planting, and these burnt forested areas are usually converted into palm oil plantations.

Indonesia has since sealed off plantations operated by 29 companies where forest fires have been spotted, including four subsidiaries of a Malaysian firm and one Singaporean company.

The Indonesian government has vowed to press legal charges against companies that are found guilty of starting the forest fires.

Two Indonesian aircraft are reported to be on standby to carry out cloud seeding operations in a province near Singapore and Malaysia over the next few days.

So, while the respective governments are coming up with solutions to solve the problem, please do cut down on outdoor activities and visit the doctor if you are feeling unwell!

Do remember to stock up on your N95 masks as well, just in case things turn for the worse again.

Also, rest in peace to those who have turned victims from the raging forest fire.