Prawit lays down haze mitigation rules for North

Prawit lays down haze mitigation rules for North

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon yesterday laid down air pollution control guidelines to help authorities in the North prepare for expected haze, with a focus on reducing burning activities.

Addressing a meeting of senior officials from nine northern provinces in Chiang Mai, Gen Prawit urged state agencies to mobilise resources to tackle the air pollution threat by minimising burning.

Haze in the northern region is caused by small dust particles emitted from forest fires and land clearance burning. Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phayao, Phrae, Nan, Lampang, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son and Tak are largely affected.

The deputy prime minister instructed governors to closely monitor the situation in their respective provinces, especially in high risk areas and take immediate action. If air pollution exceeds the so-called safe level, a ban must be imposed, he said.

While the Interior Ministry would serve as a integrated command to deal with haze, Gen Prawit said the Defence Ministry would provide air and land support to fight forest fires as well as seek cooperation from neighbouring countries via border committees in controlling land clearance burning along the border. He told the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry to step up forest patrols and deploy equipment and tools to make sure that there are no "hotspots" from March 15 to April 30 next year.

The Agriculture Ministry, meanwhile, has been asked to persuade farmers to switch to more environment-friendly farming in three years and urge business operators to refrain from buying farm products linked to forest encroachment activities.

Gen Prawit also said officials should streamline information-gathering and distribution for better situation management and better communication with the public.

Gen Prawit was also briefed on measures taken by authorities to prevent haze early this year and prepare for the upcoming haze threat.

Meanwhile, air purification towers are being installed in downtown areas of Bangkok in a pilot project to combat air pollution.

One four-metre-high air purification towers is up and running outside CentralWorld shopping mall which will pay for the power bills estimated at 10 baht per 3.5Kwhr.

According to media reports, the tower is capable of cleaning air out to a radius of 1,000 metres.

The towers will be eventually installed on a trial basis in 50 districts by the end of this year, Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang said. If they prove effective, City Hall will procure the equipment.

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