Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) plans to send preventive measure notices to three Indonesian companies because fires on their Kalimantan concessions may have sent smoke to Singapore, expanding its haze enforcement round to 10 firms.
NEA named PT Baratama Putra Perkasa, PT Buana Megatama Jaya and PT Mananjung Hayak in an Oct. 19 announcement. The agency did not determine that the companies caused Singapore's haze.
Each firm would be directed to deploy firefighting teams on land it owns or occupies, with the work aimed at suppressing blazes and containing their spread. They would also have to stop or avoid burning there and submit plans to put out a fire or prevent its recurrence.
NEA sent notices to seven other Indonesian companies on Oct. 16 over fires in Sumatra. The agency is acting under Section 9 of Singapore's 2014 Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said Singapore had received no response from the seven companies as of Oct. 19 and was monitoring their actions. Fu said haze particularly affects older people, young children and people with heart or lung conditions. She said Singapore would pass its evidence to other agencies conducting investigations.
