Lee suggests using drone to catch culprits behind open burning in Miri

MIRI: Authorities may consider using drone to catch the culprits behind open burnings here which affect over 100,000 residents in Senadin, Tudan and Permyjaya.

Senadin assemblyman Datuk Lee Kim Shin, when contacted yesterday, said he had told the Department of Environment ( DoE) and Natural Resources and Environment Board ( NREB) to consider using the drone to identify individuals who are doing open burning.

“Just because of a few irresponsible individuals doing open burning especially during dry seasons, everyone here has to suffer because of the haze,” said Lee, who is also Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Lee stressed that these individuals must be caught and punished by the law as a deterrent to others so that Miri will not have to experience air pollutions in the years to come.

“There were two cases where the culprits were caught red-handed. But there are a few more who have yet to be arrested because of lack of evidence.

“They have to be caught in the act. That is why I suggest the enforcement to use drone,” he said.

The city was blanketed with thick smoke on Monday, causing the Air Pollutant Index (API) to reach unhealthy level of 103 on Tuesday morning.

However, the readings went down to moderate level in the afternoon and yesterday, thanks to the over 60 personnel from Zone 6 Fire and Rescue station ( Bomba) and volunteers who work round the clock to contain the forest and peat soil fire in Kuala Baram and behind SK Kuala Baram II since Monday.