KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 — Seven areas recorded unhealthy levels of Air Pollutant Index (API) as at 5pm today.

The areas were Nilai, with API reading of 108, Seremban (102), Banting (107), Kuala Selangor (104), Port Klang (142), Cheras (108) and Putrajaya (110).

Seventeen areas recorded good API readings, while 28 other areas recorded moderate readings.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel in a statement today said close monitoring of air quality status was being carried at 52 air quality monitoring stations nationwide.

He said the moderate haze occurring in the country was due to internal causes, especially land and forest fire in several states in Selangor, Perak, Pahang, Johor and Terengganu.

The minister said as at March 10, a total of 1,392 open fire cases had been detected, 284 of which occurred in forest, agriculture areas (482), industrial areas (18), construction areas (45), landfill sites (24), bushes (285) and other small fires (254).

He said 119 cases were issued with compound fines, while warning notices were issued in 31 others cases.

He also called on all quarters not to carry out open burning activity as it would only worsen the haze problem in the country.

An API reading of between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 to 100 (moderate), 101 to 200 (unhealthy), 201 to 300 (very unhealthy) and 301 and above (hazardous). — Bernama