The Loei province, known for its rich cultural heritage and lush, scenic landscapes, is standing firm against unauthorized practices such as illegal burning. This firm stand is the breed of an ongoing aim to tackle the worrisome pollution crisis triggered by the increasing numbers of forest and sugarcane farm fires, especially during the months between December and March.
The fires are the primary source of PM2.5 dust particles that are released into the atmosphere, leading to a concerning spike in environmental and public health issues. The dust particles are small enough to infiltrate the human respiratory system, causing a surge in the number of respiratory disease patients across hospitals in the region.
In an effort to alleviate this pressing matter, Anutin Charnvirakul, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, eloquently took the reins, writing to provincial governors urging them to take a more stringent stance against air pollution.
In response, the Loei province has pulled together a multifaceted task force. This group incorporates local entities as well as national bodies, working collaboratively to uphold the law and kick-start preventive initiatives against illegal burning practices.
The folks’ response to this urgent call for help was encouraging. Loei’s Deputy Governor, Siriwat Pinijpanich, shed light on the provincewide meetings held with core committees. The goal? To lay the groundwork for forest fire and haze prevention strategies that are to be implemented next year.
Among the participants were the local administrative organization, the National Office of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Forestry Department. Each player was briefed on their crucial role in this environmental battle. For instance, the local administrative organization was entrusted with ensuring the manpower, tools, and equipment required to counter forest fires, are at the ready, should the need arise.
Local health offices were requested to explore drone technology as a viable strategy for supporting ground operations. This is particularly critical when fires occur in hard-to-reach places, like elevated areas. Furthermore, the National Park Department was solicited to devise a concrete plan, in conjunction with the district’s office, aimed at both forest fire prevention and wildfire suppression, as mentioned in KhaoSod’s report.
Apart from fire-fighting strategies, public health comes to the fore as a main concern. In consideration of this, the local health office was assigned the duty of providing expert advice for the general populace about the safeguarding measures they can undertake, and to monitor the daily dust particle levels. Training volunteers in fire prevention became a critical responsibility bestowed upon the local government by the Forest Resource Office 6 Udon Thani.
Nonetheless, it’s not just forest fires that are causing havoc. The practice of burning sugarcane for factory delivery is an illegal act and a violation of local administration law. As part of the campaign against this indiscretion, the province issued warnings to potential violators, declaring that the perpetrators of any such illegal acts would indeed face their day in court.
Interestingly, tackling these issues has been made a collective effort. The province has tasked each district to suppress and prevent fires, drawing on the active participation of community leaders and locals. The message is clear – any burning of forests and sugarcane fields for factory delivery, apart from being illegal, is detrimental to the environment and poses a threat to the local tourism industry, not to mention leading to potential criminal charges.
Therefore, an appeal is made to the public, beckoning to their collective conscience. It emphasizes the far-reaching effects of these actions, potentially causing extensive environmental damage and obstructing tourism. The fight is on and everyone’s help in preventing such acts is both encouraged and of crucial importance.
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