Authorities Anticipate Air Pollution in Greater Jakarta During Dry Season
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31 May 2024 13:29 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government has pledged to stricter law enforcement against violations of pollution regulations in Greater Jakarta. The vow was made considering last year’s degradation of air quality and this year’s upcoming dry season. Director General of Environmental and Forestry Law Enforcement, Ratio Ridho Sani, conveyed the statement in front of 11 association representatives, 5 industrial area managers, and more than 200 business actors in Greater Jakarta on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Ratio acts as Chair of the Greater Jakarta Air Pollution Control Task Force.
According to Ratio, there are several sanctions against polluters, including administrative and criminal ones. The administrative sanctions include cancellation of business permits and written reprimand, while criminal sanctions include 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp15 billion, said Ratio.
Ratio said he had ordered environmental monitoring officers to patrol locations with unhealthy air quality and inspect the cause. He instructed firm action to be taken in case of indications of violations. "We must protect public health and ensure the right to a good and healthy living environment for our people," he said.
Director General of Pollution and Environmental Damage Control, Sigit Reliantoro, said on Thursday that the ministry continues to monitor air quality in the Greater Jakarta area through air quality monitoring devices (Air Quality Monitoring System-AQMS) spread across 15 points. The results of this monitoring become a decision-making tool, including to support law enforcement efforts.
Director of Complaints, Supervision, and Sanctions of the Environmental and Forestry Administration, Ardyanto Nugroho, added that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry had supervised 63 companies last year. In addition, environmental supervisors have sealed and temporarily suspended activities for 29 companies.
"Currently, around 100 supervisors from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the Environmental Service in Greater Jakarta will be deployed to carry out supervision and law enforcement," said Ardi.
Previously, University of Indonesia (UI) Environmental Studies Program Lecturer Adhiraga Pratama said that fuel-based vehicles and industrial activities are some of the contributing factors to air pollution in Jakarta.
"This condition affects air quality and ambient temperature, extreme weather phenomena, urban heat islands, temperature humidity index, and changes in biodiversity," said Adhiraga in Jakarta on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
IRSYAN HASYIM
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