Indonesian fires won't affect India, says met dept

Traces of haze caused by the raging fires in the Indonesian forests were visible in the Nicobar islands, but the meteorological department says there is no cause for worry.

Sources in the meteorological department said on Friday evening that the haze was not visible on any other island in the Bay of Bengal.

The winds were blowing southeasterly, towards India, but were expected to change direction towards the southwest, away from the couuntry, department sources said.

The haze was unlikely to cause any problems for India, the sources said, adding that there was no cause for worry for the next 24 to 48 hours. Even if the haze reaches the country it will be thin and temporary, the sources added.

While other concerned departments have geared up to face a possible crisis, the Central Pollution Control Board had no contingency plan for any unpleasant eventuality.

The raging forest fires, deliberately started to clear the land over the past few months on the Islands of Sumatra and Borneo and which went out of control, are believed to have affected thousands across the region. About 10,000 fire fighters have been deployed and offers to quell the fire are coming from all over the world.

The fire has sent smoke wafting over parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines and Thailand, even as the authorities are keeping their fingers crossed hoping for rains to douse the fires.

The smoke raised by the forest fire is believed to be why the Garuda Airlines Airbus carrying 234 people crashed in Sumatra islands on Friday.

The skies in southeast Asia have turned yellow and many people affected by the pollution are dying, said World Wide Fund for Nature Director General Claude Martin in a statement from Geneva.

India is worried since Indira Point is just 25 km from the Sumatra islands, which have been affected by the smog.