PASIR GUDANG: All schools in Pasir Gudang will be equipped with air pollution detectors by tomorrow.
Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Yeo Bee Yin said 100 devices had been handed to 100 schools in the district so far.
She said 11 more schools would receive the devices tomorrow.
She said the Environment Department (DoE) would show the teachers how to handle and read the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) index on the devices.
“Once all 111 schools in Pasir Gudang receive the air pollution detectors, they will be able to do their own monitoring and checks for the presence of VOC in their respective school areas, as and when needed.
“If they find that the readings are high or climbing toward a dangerous level, they can contact the DoE immediately for a Gasmate (detection equipment) to be deployed to the site so that we can identify the actual chemical content,” she said.
Yeo said she hoped that data from the device would shed light on the source of the pollution.
“We have the findings for two days, but it doesn’t correlate. Even when the reading is low, there are still cases (of people displaying symptoms of air pollution),” she said.
Yeo also responded to allegations that her ministry had been slow to react to the pollution issue in Pasir Gudang because her husband, IOI Properties Group Bhd chief executive officer Lee Yeow Seng, owned three chemical factories in Pasir Gudang.
Rejecting the claim, she said the accusations were unethical and degrading to the team which had been working hard to find a solution to the problem.
“Officers from all agencies have been slogging really hard day and night to find a solution. To make such an irresponsible accusation is unacceptable,” she said.
Yeo said she would take legal action against those who made the claims.
Meanwhile, Johor Health, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar said the number of suspected air pollution cases in schools had dropped, with only one to six cases recorded per school.
“For this, we have our medical first aid team on site ready to render medical and psychological assistance and to calm the children down,” Khuzzan said.
He said there had been no new hospitalisation cases save for one student, who was asthmatic.
“We will continue to monitor the situation at the affected schools,” he said.
Khuzzan said 38 students fell ill today, The nine affected schools included SK Scientex, SK Ulu Tiram, SK Permas Jaya 4 and SK Kota Masai.
He said, after undergoing the two-tier health screening and consultation, the students conditions had improved, and none had to be referred to the hospital for further treatment or admission.
He said, last night, the DOE issued another 21 compounds to chemical factories for failing to comply with the Environmental Quality Act 1974 during a joint operation conducted at 34 premises here.
Khuzzan said, to date, the authorities had checked 153 premises and issued 73 compounds for unscheduled waste disposal.