TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Weather engineering carried out by the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), and Jakarta Provincial Government since yesterday, in order to ward off flood in Jakarta, received criticisms. Among them is the negative impact to the environment. Rain from salt-studded clouds is accused of making the water salty and for polluting the environment.
The claim was denied by BNPB spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. “No negative effect,” he said.
According to him, thousands of kilogram of salt were not pure kitchen salt (NaCl). It was mixed with calcium chloride (CaCl2) and urea. Those three chemical elements share the same trait—hydrophilia.
Sutopo believed the water from the weather engineering is safe to consume. They have been conducting this since the peak of the rainy season in 2013. They made cumulonimbus clouds fall before entering Jakarta. As a result, the rain was spread to surrounding area such as Citeko, Cariu, Jasinga, Cikarang, and Sunda Strait.
According to Sutopo, the rain fulfills class B quality standard. “So it is safe to consume after boiling,” he said.
ANTON WILLIAM | REZA MAULANA
