500 trees planted to ease Sembawang residents' dust problem
By Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 08 April 2007 2250 hrs

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SINGAPORE: Residents in Sembawang are turning to nature to help shield them from the dust released at a nearby shipyard.

Vandana Khanna, one of the residents, said: "It has improved but as you can see, the dust is way too much. Now we can clean our doorway once in three days, but we used to have to do it every day."

Their shoes have to be kept covered and cleaning is a regular chore as residents fight to keep dust out of their homes – a situation caused by sand-blasting at Sembawang Shipyard.

To counter the problem, 500 Hopea Odorata and Casuarina trees were planted along Admiralty Road West on Sunday in hope of trapping the dust.

Over time, these species can grow up to 30 metres in height and would hopefully provide a much-needed buffer effect.

The tree planting is a combined effort of Sembawang Shipyard, Canberra Grassroots Organisations and National Parks Board.



- CNA/so