No indiscriminate open burning, warns NREB

Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) yesterday identified a number of illegal open burning activities in Sibu.

NREB Controller of Environmental Quality Dr Penguang Manggil in stating this said the board viewed the matter seriously and was taking steps to curb the problem.

He warned industries as well as individuals not to re-sort to indiscriminate open burning, adding that during the dry spell bushes and forests caught fire easily.

Penguang made the remarks when contacted in Kuching yesterday.

According to him, the NREB is monitoring the hot spots through satellite and GPS to ensure the culprits could be identified and action taken against them.

He said the board had restricted the number of permits issued to the industrial sector in the state for open burning.

If the current dry spell kept on, he said, NREB would continue to reduce the number of permits issued as part of the efforts to see the haze situation is under control.

He warned that offenders could be slapped with a maximum compound of RM30,000 under the NREB Ordinance 1993.

He said if brought to court they were liable to a fine of RM30,000 or three years in jail or both.

Meanwhile, he said NREB enforcement officers in all divisions are monitoring the hot spot areas to ensure all parties adhered to the set conditions on open burning activities.

“I’ve instructed all my officers to be on the alert for open burning activities, especially those involving the plantation sector to avoid occurrence of haze,” he added.