Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Ohn Win yesterday reviewed the air pollution situation in Tachilek, caused mostly by burning of agricultural waste and forest fires.

Tachilek, the border town of Myanmar, and Mae Sai in Thailand face pollution from burning of fields every opening season, but the smoke levels this year have been worse than the previous year.

After hearing reports from local authorities on measures taken to reduce trans-border smoke, the Union Minister promised to set up a machine permanently to read the air pollution levels in the border town in the 2018-2019 fiscal year.

He also promised to employ machines to spray water over polluted air.

In addition, the Union Minister stressed the need to step up efforts to educate farmers about pollution caused by burning of straw and stalks left over from the previous harvest to prepare for the next planting season.

Air quality in Tachilek had worsened from 15 March due to burning of agricultural waste in the border areas, according to the Environmental Conservation Department.

The air pollution index crossed the hazardous level on 16 and 17 March, but eased later.

The situation worsened again on 31 March, with the air pollution index reaching 502, which is much higher than the hazardous level of 300.The air pollution spiralled downwards in the first week of April.

According to the Environmental Conservation Department, the level of toxic chemicals in the air is very low.

Following the meeting with local authorities, Union Minister U Ohn Win visited the area where the air pollution level was being measured with the use of a machine and a shelter on the Shan Yoma Grounds.—MNA

(Translated by Kyaw Zin Lin)