The air quality in the Legislative Yuan’s main chamber has reached a hazardous level and could endanger the hundreds of students and activists who have occupied it since Tuesday night, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers said yesterday, urging that the air conditioners in the room be turned on.
“With about 300 students and dozens of reporters packed inside the chamber since Tuesday night, air quality — a basic human requirement — has become poor. We call on the Legislative Yuan to deal with the issue immediately,” DPP Legislator Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) told a press conference in Taipei.
Legislative Yuan staff have refused to turn on the air conditioners because a legislative meeting is not being held in the chamber.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
DPP Legislator Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) said an on-site inspection showed that the carbon dioxide level in the room has reached 1,600 parts per million (ppm), which is much higher than the maximum permitted by law — 1,000ppm — while the carbon dioxide level in the corridor outside the chamber is a normal 400ppm.
DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) said the party’s caucus had raised the issue with the legislature’s employees, but was having trouble locating the appropriate officials, and believed the Legislative Yuan was using the lack of air conditioning as a tactic to punish the protesters.
Tsai Wei-min (蔡衛民), a member of the Legislative Yuan’s General Affairs Department, said the department would consider turning on the air-conditioners after an on-site inspection.
Photo: CNA
Air quality was not the only issue raised by protesters and opposition parties. They said they suspect the authorities have interfered with the Wi-Fi bandwidth around the Legislative Yuan compound, making it difficult for them to communicate through their smartphones and laptops.
They say communications have also been hindered by a lack of working electrical outlets in the chamber, some of which appear to have been tampered with to prevent protesters from recharging their mobile phones and other equipment.
Photo: CNA
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
RSS