TEMPO.CO, Depok - The Depok City Government denied that its regional air quality today, August 24, was the worst in Indonesia as reported by the Swiss air quality monitoring agency, IQAir.

The Regional Environment and Forestry Agency (DLHK), Abdul Rahman, claimed that Depok's air quality was still at a moderate level or acceptable based on the Air Pollution Standard Index (ISPU) of the Environment and Forestry Ministry (KLHK).

“Based on the ISPU, Depok’s air quality is at a moderate level,” Rahman said on Thursday, August 24, 2023.

Meanwhile, IQAir reported that the concentration of the main pollutant, namely PM2.5, in Depok reached 153 micrograms per cubic meter as of 7 a.m., making it the most polluted city in Indonesia, followed by South Tangerang and Tangerang City.

Rahman said the KLHK’s ISPU is an application to measure the air quality index. “The device is placed at the Depok City Hall as a reference for the air quality in Depok City.”

Rahman claimed he was not aware of the methods and standards used by IQAir to calculate air quality. The KLHK was also unaware. “This is from abroad, and I don't know where the toll is installed. For Depok, the current air quality is still moderate,” he said.

Rahman, therefore, asked the community to work together to maintain the city's air quality, such as planting trees and refraining from burning trash.

“Apart from that, those who own vehicles can conduct periodic emission tests and use mass transportation,” he added.

Based on the ISPU data from the Depok city government as of 12 p.m. on Thursday, August 24, 2023, the city’s air quality was in the moderate category with 77 hydrocarbons (HC), which means it is still acceptable for human, animal, and plant health. The humidity level was at 59 percent and the temperature was 34 degrees Celsius.

RICKY JULIANSYAH

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