Negeri Sembilan DOE ramps up enforcement as haze hits unhealthy levels

Seremban, Sept 16 — The Negeri Sembilan Department of Environment (DOE) is intensifying its efforts to monitor ground-level air quality, particularly focusing on open burning activities, in response to deteriorating haze conditions across several districts in the state. Abdul Aziz Parmin, the state DOE director, disclosed to Bernama that other potential contributors to air pollution, such as factories, quarries, motor vehicles, development projects, land clearing, and dust emissions, are being closely observed.

In a statement, he emphasized the immediate priority of sharpening ground-level monitoring, while simultaneously not overlooking other sources that could exacerbate dust or haze pollution. The DOE has dispatched letters to all local authorities and District and Land Offices throughout Negeri Sembilan, urging them to intensify their enforcement against pollution sources.

Air quality readings in several areas have reached unhealthy levels, with Nilai registering an Air Pollutant Index (API) of 172, Seremban at 168, and Port Dickson at 155 as of noon today. All haze-related actions will be aligned with the National Haze Action Plan, while the state will maintain continuous updates to the State Disaster Management Committee on the situation.

Regarding cloud seeding, Abdul Aziz mentioned that the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) would coordinate this effort at the federal level, based on current API readings and as deemed necessary.