PROPERTIES DAMAGED BY RED DYE

PROPERTIES DAMAGED BY RED DYE

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(Compensation amount): **

22.

Ms Ellen Lee asked the Minister for Defence what was the total compensation amount for those affected by the recent incident whereby civilian/public properties were damaged by the red dye as a result of an aerial military training exercise.

Mr Teo Chee Hean: This incident happened during a ground trial of a stationary aircraft to improve the quality of the red smoke used to enhance the visual effects of the Black Knights aerobatics display.

On 23rd November 2007, the day of the incident, prevailing strong winds carried the residual red smoke beyond the confines of the trial area in Tengah Air Base. As a result, some of the residual red dye settled onto certain areas in the vicinity south-east of Tengah Air Base.

MINDEF acted quickly to address the concerns of those affected. The total compensation paid out for the incident was about $370,000, of which $332,000 was to compensate the six farm owners for the vegetables they had to destroy as a precautionary measure taken by the AVA as the red dye is not an approved dye for use in food. The compensation to the farm owners was worked out in consultation with AVA.

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