KOTA TINGGI: At least three schools in Johor may be closed if air quality worsens due to peat soil fires along Jalan Sungai Kapal in Pengerang.
State education and information committee chairman Aznan Tamin said schools in the affected area would be ordered to close if the air pollutant index (API) reaches unhealthy levels.
“We will monitor the API readings and if the situation worsens, the affected schools will be instructed to close.
“At present, schools are operating as usual as smoke has yet to reach their locations,” he told reporters after visiting victims at the temporary relief centre (PPS) at SK Sungai Kapal yesterday.
Aznan said that air monitoring devices known as GRIMM would be installed at schools surrounding Taman Bayu Damai in Pengerang to monitor the situation.
He urged the relevant departments to brief the state directly on the situation, to enable swift action by the Kota Tinggi District Education Office if the need arose.
Based on the Air Pollutant Index Management System, air quality is deemed healthy if API readings are registered between 0-50, moderate (51-100), unhealthy (101-200), very unhealthy (201-300) and hazardous (above 300).
Meanwhile, Aznan, who is also the Tanjung Surat assemblyman, said the usual daily routines of eight students were affected following the temporary relocation of families from Taman Bayu Damai.
“They are still attending school as usual but have been given flexibility in terms of attire, as some do not have enough clothes or school uniforms to wear.
“We are not enforcing strict requirements on these affected students, as we do not want to burden them,” he said.
Yesterday, the peat soil fire in the affected area spread from 5.26ha to 12.14ha due to dry and windy conditions, resulting in thick smoke drifting into surrounding residential areas.
As at 4pm yesterday, a total of 211 victims had been relocated to two temporary relief centres (PPS) due to the peat soil fire in Taman Bayu Damai.
Johor Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) chairman Datuk Asman Shah Abd Rahman said all victims from 49 affected families were placed at the Taman Bayu Damai Multipurpose Hall, while another 21 families were housed at SK Sungai Kapal.
