45 treated for headache

NST: Forty-five people have been treated for health complaints, including headache and nausea since last Monday, following the ammonia gas leak here.
However, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said, no one had been warded.
Meanwhile, the 454 people evacuated from a village here following the ammonia gas leak will continue to rough it out in halls until it is safe to return, which could take 10 more days.
Municipal and health workers are clearing an illegal dumping ground at Kampung Sungai Gatom of about 300 tonnes of aluminium dross, source of the toxic fumes. However, they are hampered by bad weather.
The only cheer is the ammonia gas readings have dropped to a safe level.
Dr Chua, who visited the area today, said the hourly reading of ammonia concentration in the air was seven parts per million (ppm), down from Monday's reading of 25 ppm, beyond a 200m radius of the dumpsite.
However, the 104 evacuated families have not been allowed to return. "This is a precautionary measure. We have to be sure the air and water are safe before allowing them to go home."
Dr Chua, who is also MP for Labis, said there was a risk the ammonia reading could shoot up and the only way to be sure was to completely clear the site of the aluminium dross dumped in an orchard here.
"As of today, we have ferried out 185 tonnes of aluminium dross," he said, adding that work was disrupted by heavy rain.
The dross has been sent to the toxic waste plant in Bukit Nenas, Negri Sembilan.
Nearly 300 tonnes of the scheduled toxic waste from a chemical factory in Malacca had been allegedly dumped there over the past month by a contractor.
"We are monitoring the ammonia reading in Sungai Labis and Sungai Muar to ensure the people's safety," he said.
Six schools closed on Friday will reopen tomorrow. All are located more than 1km from the dumpsite.