OFFICIAL PORTAL
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
BYRNIHAT, India (Reuters) - Two-year-old Sumaiya Ansari, a resident of India's Byrnihat town which is ranked the world's most polluted metropolitan area by Swiss Group IQAir, was battling breathing problems for several days before she was hospitalised in March and given oxygen support.
She is among many residents of the industrial town on the border of the northeastern Assam and Meghalaya states - otherwise known for their lush, natural beauty - inflicted by illnesses that doctors say are likely linked to high exposure to pollution.
Byrnihat's annual average PM2.5 concentration in 2024 was 128.2 micrograms per cubic meter, according to IQAir, over 25 times the level recommended by the WHO.
PM2.5 refers to particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns or less in diameter that can be carried into the lungs, causing deadly diseases and cardiac problems.
"It was very scary, she was breathing like a fish," said Abdul Halim, Ansari's father, who brought her home from hospital after two days.
According to government data, the number of respiratory infection cases in the region rose to 3,681 in 2024 from 2,082 in 2022.
"Ninety percent of the patients we see daily come either with a cough or other respiratory issues," said Dr. J Marak of Byrnihat Primary Healthcare Centre.
Residents say the toxic air also causes skin rashes and eye irritation, damages crops, and restricts routine tasks like drying laundry outdoors.
"Everything is covered with dust or soot," said farmer Dildar Hussain.
Critics say Byrnihat's situation reflects a broader trend of pollution plaguing not just India's cities, including the capital Delhi, but also its smaller towns as breakneck industrialisation erodes environmental safeguards.
Unlike other parts of the country that face pollution every winter, however, Byrnihat's air quality remains poor through the year, government data indicates.
Home to about 80 industries - many of them highly polluting - experts say the problem is exacerbated in the town by other factors like emissions from heavy vehicles, and its "bowl-shaped topography".
"Sandwiched between the hilly terrain of Meghalaya and the plains of Assam, there is no room for pollutants to disperse," said Arup Kumar Misra, chairman of Assam's pollution control board.
The town's location has also made a solution tougher, with the states shifting blame to each other, said a Meghalaya government official who did not want to be named.
Since the release of IQAir's report in March, however, Assam and Meghalaya have agreed to form a joint committee and work together to combat Byrnihat's pollution.
(Reporting by Tora Agarwala; Writing by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
KOTA BHARU - Sultan Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V bertitah supaya cadangan untuk membina tembok dan zon penampan di kawasan Sungai Golok perlu dimuktamadkan segera.
"Beta memandang serius isu keselamatan di sempadan Malaysia-Thailand. Maka cadangan itu perlu dimuktamadkan segera," baginda bertitah semasa menyempurnakan Istiadat Pembukaan Penggal Ketiga DUN Kelantan ke-15 di Kompleks Kota Darulnaim di sini pada Isnin.
Turut mencemar duli, Sultanah Kelantan, Sultanah Nur Diana Petra Abdullah.
Sinar Harian sebelum ini melaporkan Kerajaan Kelantan memerlukan RM445.748 juta untuk kos pengambilan balik tanah penduduk di kawasan sempadan Sungai Golok bagi pembinaan tembok dan zon penampan.
Menteri Besar Kelantan, Datuk Mohd Nasuruddin Mohd Daud berkata, cadangan pembinaan tembok dan zon penampan adalah amat relevan bagi tujuan keselamatan sempadan negara.
Beliau berkata, Kelantan serius untuk membanteras jenayah penyeludupan dan mengatasi masalah banjir di kawasan Sungai Golok iaitu sepanjang 99 kilometer di sempadan Malaysia-Thailand.
BYRNIHAT: Seorang kanak-kanak perempuan menjadi antara mangsa terkini pencemaran udara teruk di Byrnihat, sebuah bandar kecil perindustrian di sempadan negeri Assam dan Meghalaya, India yang baru-baru ini diisytihar sebagai kawasan metropolitan paling tercemar di dunia oleh kumpulan pemantau kualiti udara Switzerland, IQAir.
Sumaiya Ansari, dua tahun, terpaksa menerima bantuan oksigen selepas mengalami masalah pernafasan yang berlarutan selama beberapa hari sebelum dimasukkan ke hospital pada Mac lalu.
“Ia sangat menakutkan, dia bernafas seperti ikan,” kata Abdul Halim, bapa kepada Sumaiya, yang membawanya pulang selepas dua hari dirawat di hospital.
Seorang pegawai perubatan di Pusat Kesihatan Utama Byrnihat, Dr. J. Marak berkata, kes jangkitan pernafasan di kawasan itu melonjak kepada 3,681 kes pada tahun ini berbanding hanya 2,082 kes pada tahun 2022.
Penduduk tempatan turut mengadu pencemaran udara turut menyebabkan ruam kulit, kerengsaan mata, serta kerosakan tanaman dan menyukarkan urusan harian termasuk menjemur pakaian di luar rumah.
Krisis yang melanda Byrnihat dilihat sebagai satu cerminan kepada masalah pencemaran yang bukan sahaja membelenggu bandar-bandar besar India seperti New Delhi, malah kini merebak ke kawasan bandar kecil akibat pembangunan industri yang pesat tanpa kawalan alam sekitar yang mencukupi.
Tidak seperti bandar lain yang mengalami pencemaran hanya pada musim sejuk, pencemaran udara di Byrnihat berlaku sepanjang tahun, menurut data kerajaan.
Dengan kira-kira 80 buah industri beroperasi kebanyakannya dikategorikan sebagai berisiko tinggi pakar menyatakan keadaan diburukkan lagi oleh pelepasan asap daripada kenderaan berat serta bentuk muka bumi Byrnihat yang berupa ‘mangkuk’ yang menyukarkan pergerakan dan penyebaran zarah pencemar.
Menurut data terkini IQAir, purata tahunan kepekatan PM2.5 di Byrnihat pada tahun 2024 mencecah 128.2 mikrogram per meter padu lebih 25 kali ganda melebihi paras yang disarankan oleh Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO).
PM2.5 merujuk kepada zarah halus udara berukuran 2.5 mikron atau lebih kecil yang mampu menembusi paru-paru dan dikaitkan dengan pelbagai penyakit maut termasuk masalah jantung. -AGENSI
PETALING JAYA: Beban ditanggung mangsa insiden kebakaran di Putra Heights, Selangor sedikit sebanyak dapat dikurangkan melalui pelbagai bantuan dan khidmat percuma yang dihulur pelbagai agensi kerajaan, pihak swasta serta badan bukan kerajaan (NGO).
Ia termasuklah bantuan bakul makanan yang turut disampaikan syarikat perkhimdatan e-hailing, MyCar baru-baru ini kepada mangsa yang terlibat.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Platform Apps Sdn. Bhd (MyCar E-hailing), Datuk Noor Sheena Maideen berkata, beliau berbesar hati menghulurkan bantuan berkenaan, sekali gus menjelaskan yang pihaknya komited dalam membantu komuniti yang memerlukan.
“Sebagai seorang manusia biasa, saya simpati sebab perkara ini tidak disangka-sangka, satu perumahan yang harmoni tiba-tiba sahaja ada kes letupan gas, ini semua dugaan dengan apa yang terjadi. Kalau tidak berlaku pada kita, memang kita tidak akan rasa. Itu dari segi mata kasarnya, tetapi dalam hati saya sangat sedih sebab ada kanak-kanak, warga emas.
“Namun, dugaan ini juga memberika semangat kepada saya dan MyCar untuk memberi bantuan kepada masyarakat sebab MyCar adalah satu-satunya syarikat tempatan, jadi kita membantu tidak mengira bangsa, apa sahaja musibah yang datang, kita bantu mana yang kita mampu.
“Alhamdulillah saya sangat berbesar hati dapat memberi sumbangan kepada masyarakat tidak mengira agama dan bangsa. Kita beri pada semua,” katanya dalam satu majlis ringkas baru-baru ini.
Turut hadir, Exco Pelaburan, Perdagangan & Mobiliti kerajaan negeri Selangor, Ng Sze Han dan Ahli Parlimen Puchong, Yeo Bee Yin.
Dalam pada itu, Sze Han dalam satu kenyataan berkata, beliau benar-benar terkesan dengan insiden tersebut dan mengucapkan terima kasih kepada semua pihak yang menghulurkan bantuan.
“Saya melihat kesan tragedi letupan paip gas yang masih dirasai penduduk Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru. Di pihak kerajaan Negeri Selangor, saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Datuk Sheena dan MyCar kerana sudi memberi bantuan kepada mangsa.
“Terima kasih juga kepada semua penyumbang yang tidak pernah jemu menghulurjkan tangan saat rakyat memerlukan,” ujarnya.-UTUSAN
IPOH: A temporary single-lane Bailey bridge will be built to restore connectivity to Kampung Sungai Tisong and nearby areas following the collapse of a decades-old bridge on Saturday.
Perak Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said construction of the Bailey bridge would begin today and is expected to be completed by April 29.
"We're targeting for the temporary bridge to be usable within six to seven days. This will restore access for villagers, schoolchildren, and even hot spring resort operators affected by the collapse.
"The Perak Public Works Department (PWD) has one Bailey bridge in stock, so we will use that. Cost assessments will follow and be shared with the relevant ministries and the state government.
"The single-lane bridge can accommodate regular vehicles and smaller lorries. It won't support large trucks, but it's sufficient for current needs, including Hot Spring visitors and Buyung Emas campers," he said.
He made the remarks during a press conference at the Media Room of Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan today.
It was earlier reported that hundreds of people were stranded at the Sungai Klah hot spring on Saturday after the bridge collapse severed the main access route.
When asked about the cause of the collapse, Nizar said the culvert supports had failed due to a surge of water and heavy debris.
"The collapse was caused by the failure of the culverts that supported the bridge. They were struck by heavy debris and strong water flow during a surge, which severely weakened the structure and eventually caused it to give way," he said.
He added that there had previously been confusion over who was responsible for the road and bridge, as they were not listed under the Public Works Department (PWD.
"Indeed, the road existed, but today we can confirm that it was built by Felda. Felda used it to transport palm oil and constructed it themselves," he said.
When asked whether the 20-year-old bridge had undergone maintenance or inspections, he said no government agency under his purview had been responsible.
"Previously, there was confusion over who owned the road and bridge. It's now clear that Felda built it initially, but it has since been used by multiple parties, including LAP (Perak Water Board) and the local community.
"If any maintenance was done, it would have been by Felda. No government agency was involved. Since Felda built it, they're responsible, although it's used by LAP, other road users, and villagers.
"We will begin registering the route under Marris (Malaysian Road Records Information System), so it can come under JKR for future maintenance," he said.
He added that more than 500 Orang Asli residents in Kampung Sungai Tisong are now facing restricted access, raising urgent concerns over healthcare and education, which has prompted swift intervention from local authorities.
"Among the most urgent cases identified were five pregnant women who have since been safely evacuated to the Sungkai Health Clinic to ensure continuity of maternal care.
"Additionally, two dialysis patients from the village are temporarily relocated to facilitate uninterrupted treatment over the coming week, as access via the main route remains compromised," he said.
A total of 81 students from Kampung Sungai Tisong have also been affected by the road conditions, and the district education office has taken steps to ensure learning continues despite the logistical obstacles.