An increase in hotspot activities can continue to be expected in the fire-prone areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia and Sarawak in Malaysia over the next few months, contributing to more haze pollution in the region, an international meeting noted today.

The 8th meeting of the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution, being held in Singapore, also noted that the El Nino event was likely to exacerbate and prolong the current dry season until October.

NONE The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre reported that the prevailing weak El Nino condition was forecast to intensify to a moderate-to-strong El Nino event in the last quarter of this year, according to a statement released by the meeting, held in Singapore.

The ministers and their representatives from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand noted that while there have been sporadic incidences of air quality reaching unhealthy levels, the situation was still under control currently due to the mitigation action taken by the respective member countries.

They agreed to step up vigilance and mitigate escalation of hotspot activities during this extended dry period.

The ministers agreed to ban all open burning, suspend permits for prescribed burning activities in fire-prone areas, step up enforcement measures and provide assistance for joint emergency response to mitigate the fires should the need arise.

They agreed that Singapore host a ministerial steering committee forum in October back-to-back with the 11th Asean Ministerial Meeting on the Environment.

- Bernama