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Farmers told to destroy crop after dye from F-16 lands on crop
December 1, 2007 (by
Asif Shamim) -
Farmers living near Tengah Air Base have been told to destroy about 200 tons of crops, which have been doused with droplets of red dye last Friday.
This came a week after local press agency 'The Straits Times' had a whole series of complaints lodged on there website about cars, crops and even pets getting sprinkled with what was though to be red paint.
Yesterday the Republic of Singapore's Ministry of Defence came clean.
It said an aircraft being tested for 20 minutes on the ground at the base last Friday released the dye.
It is understood that the Republic of Singapore Air Force's Black Knights aerial display team was testing the dye to create a red plume of smoke in the exhaust of an F-16C fighter jet.
Strong winds on that day carried the cloud of smoke across the southeast side of the base and across a cluster of vegetable farms, which neighbour the airfield.
Colonel Darius Lim, Mindef's director of public affairs, said. "We are currently conducting further investigations and have suspended all such trials. Standard aviation dye was used in this trial."
He assured the public that "the amount of red dye deposited will not cause adverse health effects when inhaled or when in contact with the skin".
Official from the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) checked 46 vegetable farms in the Sungei Tengah and Lim Chu Kang Agrotechnology parks. They found six of the farms in Lorong Semangka area in Sungei Tengah had crops, which were coated.
Based on their findings they ordered the destruction of the crops as their tests showed that the dye was not approved for use with food. Officers will check that that farmers have adhered to the order and all crops are correctly disposed off.
One farmer estimated a loss of $70,000 and another was said he would lose 10 tonnes of crop.
Checks are being made on waterways, which also run through the area. Samples have been collected and tested.
Col Lim said, "We are in direct contact with the affected farms to address their concerns. All reasonable claims arising from this incident will be considered and compensation will be paid accordingly."
RSAF Black Knights performing at Asian Aerospace 2000. [Photo by Peter Steinmann]
Yesterday the Republic of Singapore's Ministry of Defence came clean.
It said an aircraft being tested for 20 minutes on the ground at the base last Friday released the dye.
It is understood that the Republic of Singapore Air Force's Black Knights aerial display team was testing the dye to create a red plume of smoke in the exhaust of an F-16C fighter jet.
Strong winds on that day carried the cloud of smoke across the southeast side of the base and across a cluster of vegetable farms, which neighbour the airfield.
Colonel Darius Lim, Mindef's director of public affairs, said. "We are currently conducting further investigations and have suspended all such trials. Standard aviation dye was used in this trial."
He assured the public that "the amount of red dye deposited will not cause adverse health effects when inhaled or when in contact with the skin".
Official from the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) checked 46 vegetable farms in the Sungei Tengah and Lim Chu Kang Agrotechnology parks. They found six of the farms in Lorong Semangka area in Sungei Tengah had crops, which were coated.
Based on their findings they ordered the destruction of the crops as their tests showed that the dye was not approved for use with food. Officers will check that that farmers have adhered to the order and all crops are correctly disposed off.
One farmer estimated a loss of $70,000 and another was said he would lose 10 tonnes of crop.
Checks are being made on waterways, which also run through the area. Samples have been collected and tested.
Col Lim said, "We are in direct contact with the affected farms to address their concerns. All reasonable claims arising from this incident will be considered and compensation will be paid accordingly."
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