Sarawak okays controlled burning of plantation wastes
TheStar, Tuesday, 20 July, 2004
By Jack Wong
KUCHING: Plantation companies in Sarawak can now carry out controlled open burning based on the Canadian fire danger rating system.
The weather-based system, to be administered by the Natural Resources and Environment Board, gives early warning of a developing fire potential.
Under the system, no lighting-up would be allowed if the air pollution index reaches 100 or when the government imposes a ban on burning.
State Environment and Public Health Minister Datuk Michael Manyin, who launched the system here yesterday, said plantation owners and contractors could only carry out controlled burning on mineral soil and not peat soil.
"Pre-established criteria for open burning, including readiness of manpower, fire-fighting equipment and fire breaks, have to be complied with before any burning is allowed.
"They should not burn if the fire danger rating shows high risk of fire burning out of control. No overnight fire is allowed."
The board will issue the daily risk level for guidance in burning.
Manyin said the system was introduced to strike a balance in plantation and forest development and to safeguard environmental quality and ensure a sustainable development of natural resources.
He said the state planned to develop one million hectares of land for oil palm and another one million hectares of planted forests by 2010.
Most of the land to be opened for such developments was logged-over forest areas or under-used native customary land.
Manyin said although the state had tried to introduce the zero-burn system for the plantation sector following the 1997 haze that affected the whole state, it had flaws.
They included increasing the potential risk of infestation by pests and diseases as the vegetative and wood wastes were left to rot and the accumulated debris could prove to be a fire hazard.
"Controlled burning 'is a cheaper way to reduce biomass accumulation, thus lowering the production cost and make our plantation industry more competitive."
Manyin hoped that the introduction of the controlled burning system would help attract more peninsula-based plantation companies to invest in the state.
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