PUTRAJAYA: The hot and dry weather has seen dams in five states record water levels of below 50 per cent.
The dams are the Labong dam in Johor at 14.4 per cent; Gemencheh dam in Negri Sembilan (22.2 per cent); Bukit Kwong dam in Kelantan (31.5 per cent); Padang Saga in Kedah (35 per cent) and the Timah Tasoh dam in Perlis (40.8 per cent).
Announcing this today, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the Environment Department also recorded 617 opening burning cases between January and March 14 (Monday).
He said ministry will table to the cabinet this Friday the proposed formation of a special committee that will address issues related to extreme hot and dry weather.
Wan Junaidi said the cabinet would have to decide whether the special committee would be parked under his ministry or the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.
“At the same time, we will also present to the cabinet a list of proposed guidelines similar to what we have for haze," he told reporters after chairing a two-hour special meeting today to discuss steps to be taken over the hot and dry spell.
Wan Junaidi, however, declined to disclose the details of the guidelines and only hinted that it would cover a wide range of measures to be taken including at what clime degree should schools be advised to close.