Anies Baswedan Answers Greenpeace's Criticism on Artificial Rain

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan responded to the criticisms against him—including from Greenpeace Indonesia—on the city’s plan to create artificial rain in the capital in a bid to combat pollution. According to him, he was not the one who initiated the plan.

“I never personally talked about artificial rain. Better go and ask the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), tell them to answer it. I will refrain from commenting,” said Anies Baswedan at Jakarta’s City Hall on Monday.

Previously, the BPPT said the Jakarta administration planned on creating artificial rain this month to tackle pollution. BPPT claims that this plan had been discussed together with the Governor’s Team for Accelerated Development (TGUPP) and personally approved by Anies. 

Read: Greenpeace Indonesia Criticizes Jakarta's Artificial Rain Agenda

However, Anies retreated from the plan and said the BPPT had announced the plan without his approval. The governor maintained that the plan is still being conceived.

Previously, Greenpeace Indonesia blasted the governor for his plan to create artificial rain in the nation's capital. It said that air pollution should be resolved by directly controlling the sources.

Greenpeace Indonesia's campaign manager for climate and energy, Bondan Ariyanu, said reducing pollution must be done with careful planning. "You have to control the source of pollution," he told Tempo on Monday, July 8.

Meanwhile, the Center for Weather Modification Technology (BBTMC) head, Tri Handoko Seto, said that all costs would be prepared by the Jakarta administration.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH