♥are-youkiddingme.blogspot.com Daren Low Zheng Han Low Shu Wei Nur Hidayah Eugenie Tan Si Miao Rowena Leong Jing Yen ♥I don't know where it's going♥Shout out Loud |
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Earlier this month, South-East Asia countries announced an urgent plan to stop the man made fires. However, many environmentalists fear Indonesia will be unable to enforce the plan at a time of political and economic uncertainty. The haze resulted from the forest fires in the Riau Province of Sumatra, Indonesia. That is 894 kilometers away from Singapore. Officials in Riau province have urged people to stay indoors and those venturing out have been wearing masks as they did during the last haze crisis in 1997. For weeks, some had virtually been prisoners in their homes, unable to venture out because of the smog, which hung like a blanket over this once bustling city. Indonesia, being the world’s top palm oil producer, which had a history of weak forestry law enforcement, appears unable to do anything about the problem. Illegal land clearing by palm developers is common. People have continued to conduct land clearing with burning method because it is quick and reduce the acidity of peat soil but release vast amounts of greenhouse gases. Singapore had urged Indonesia to allocate the necessary resources, and implement timely and effective measures to solve the haze situation. Malaysian schools were forced to shut due to the poor air quality in some its southern towns. Haze caused by fires in Indonesia builds up during the dry season, affecting tourism and transport. It contributes to health problems across the region and leading to strains in generally good ties between neighboring countries . Besides the reduced visibility, which greets me as I step out of my door every morning. I could almost detect the burnt smell in the air I breathed. Singapore looked so gloomy and I can hardly see the moon during the night. There were times when I wondered if we can buy clean air with money. Money have donated to aid Indonesia’s burning problems but how much exactly have been put to good use. I feel that Indonesia should imposed harsher laws to combat the slash and burn approach. This has been on-going for years and unless it is tackled, mother nature will be in deep trouble. Indeed, greed, poverty and a breakdown in law and order lie at the heart of this man-made disaster. |
