NEA issues notices to three more companies in Indonesia over haze role
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The RTS link bridge shrouded in haze, as seen from Urbanville@Woodlands at around 12.50pm on Oct 18.
ST PHOTO: JASEL POH
- NEA issued notices to three more firms under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, taking the total to 10. It said smoke from fires in Kalimantan may have spread to Singapore from their concession land.
- The firms are Buana Megatama Jaya, Mananjung Hayak and Baratama Putra Perkasa. The notices order them to send firefighters, stop burning, and give action plans to prevent more fires.
- Nine of the 10 firms are pulp plantations, and four are linked to APP. Some had similar notices in the 2015 haze crisis, and those cases are still open.
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SINGAPORE – Three more companies have been issued notices under Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA), bringing the total number of firms targeted by the Act to 10.
The three companies in Indonesia are Buana Megatama Jaya, Mananjung Hayak and Baratama Putra Perkasa, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Oct 19.
Mananjung Hayak is a palm oil plantation, while Baratama Putra Perkasa and Buana Megatama Jaya are pulp plantations.
NEA said there are indications that smoke from fires in Kalimantan had spread to Singapore, from lands held via concessions under the three companies.
The preventive measure notices issued will inform the companies to deploy firefighters to extinguish or prevent the spread of any fire on land owned or occupied by them; discontinue or not start any burning activities; and submit to NEA action plans to extinguish any fires on their land and prevent their recurrence.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu revealed earlier this week that the initial seven companies responsible for haze-causing fires in Sumatra were identified by analysing satellite imagery and meteorological data on regional hot spots and smoke plumes.
The companies identified on Oct 16 are Bumi Andalas Permai, Bumi Mekar Hijau, Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries, Paramitra Mulia Langgeng, Sumatera Alam Anugerah, Hutan Lestari Raya and Bangkanesia. Nine of the 10 identified so far are pulp plantations, while one is a palm oil plantation.
Of the 10, four – Bumi Andalas Permai, Bumi Mekar Hijau, SBA Wood Industries and Buana Megatama Jaya – have been identified as suppliers to Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), which is part of the Sinar Mas conglomerate.
Indonesia’s largest pulp and paper company, APP was linked to the haze blanketing the region in 2015.
Three of the four – excluding Buana Megatama Jaya – received similar notices during the 2015 haze crisis and their cases remain open.
Speaking to the media on Oct 19, Fu said the actions of the seven companies initially identified on Oct 16 were being closely monitored. “Thus far, we have not heard from them,” she said.
“We are committed to investigating all errant companies found responsible for causing transboundary haze in Singapore and will not hesitate to take further action under the THPA based on the information and evidence available,” said Fu. The evidence collected will also be shared with other agencies for their own investigations, she added.