BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Head of the Banjarmasin Regional Environmental Agency (BLHD), H Hamdi, stated the current air quality in this areas three times worse off than usual, Antaranews reported.
“From our observation about half a month ago, the air quality in our region is very low, even triple deteriorate,” he said, in Banjarmasin, Friday.
According to him, the air in Banjarmasin not only polluted by smoke, but also a super fine dust contained in the air.
“Fine dust that we call PN 10 is 10 microns in size, and it implies three times than usual,” said the former Head of Sanitation and Gardening Agency.
BLHD monitoring in Simpang Empat Belitung, Central Banjarmasin, the air 730 micrograms per cubic meter. It was far beyond the highest threshold 230 micrograms per cubic meter.
While the air in Kayu Tangi Roundabout, North Banjarmasin, and in front of the intersection of Merdeka Bridge, downtown, air pollution above 500 micrograms per cubic meter.
“Therefore, we encourage the residents to wear masks when out of the house in order to maintain health,” he said.
He supports the Health Agency measures to distribute free masks for residents. Because, according to him, the air in Banjarmasin which continues to deteriorate due to thick haze and dust content in the air should be prevented by using a mask.
According to him, acute respiratory infections (ARI) at this time, as if it has become a trend that is mostly due to unhealthy air conditions due to dust and fumes.
He hoped that the necessary pattern of supervision and regulation of activities that trigger the occurrence of dust, such as construction backfill project, not to contaminate the soil.