MNRE set to reduce haze pollution in North by 20%

 

NAN, 17 February 2017, (NNT) - The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) has set a goal of reducing haze pollution in the North by 20 percent within April. 

The resolution came during a talk at Si Nan National Park in Nan Province. The talk centered around the annual haze problem in the nine provinces of the northern region which is mostly caused by slash and burn cultivation. The issue affects public health, tourism, local economy, and transportation. 

The discussion aimed at educating the public about the government’s approaches to dealing with bushfires. The recently imposed burning restriction from February 15th to April 30th is expected to help reduce polluted air by 20 percent. 

Attending the seminar were Permanent Secretary of the MNRE Wijarn Simachaya, Commander of the 38th Military Circle Maj. Gen. Wittaya Wankawisan, and officials from the local Natural Resources and Environment office. 

In Mae Hong Son Province, members of the public and government officials joined hands to erect fire barriers around Wat Phrathat Doi Kongmu, a local sacred temple in the capital district. The province will also impose a fire ban from March to April. 

Meanwhile, Lamphun administrative authorities, relevant officials, volunteers, students, and local residents organized a march promoting bushfire prevention and built a three-kilometer-long fire barrier in Li district. Like other cities, Lamphun is also banning burning activities from February 15th to April 15th.

 

-- nnt 2017-02-17

How about arresting those committing these environmental crimes? 

Can they make it illegal to burn rubbish and crop stubble.
No advantage in burning rubbish, just laziness.
And stubble is a major pollution problem too


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3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) has set a goal of reducing haze pollution in the North by 20 percent within April. 

Sounds about the same as the TAT announcement. One has to wonder how they measure a 20% decrease. 

"Mostly caused by slash and burn".  Really?  Burning rubbish is not clash and burn.  Burning off last year's crop stubble is not slash and burn.

 

The area of slash and burn (or swidden agriculture) has been decreasing in Thailand in recent decades.  Even though the length of the fallow period has also been declining, it is doubtful that there is more burning from slash and burn now than there was several decades ago.

 

Personally, I would guess the main culprit is other forms of burning, such as for hunting, burning litter or crop stubble, or accidental fires.