Air quality improving: Official<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Although many people complain about choking air caused by high
\nlevels of air pollution, the City Environmental Management Agency
\n(BPLDH) has reported that Jakarta enjoyed more days with \"better\"
\nair quality last year.<\/p>\n
Agency air pollution control division head Yusiono Anwar
\nSupalal said on Thursday that Jakartans enjoyed a total of 25.55
\nof 365 days in 2003, or 7 percent, with good air quality, meaning
\nthe air did not adversely impact living creatures.<\/p>\n
The number of days was higher compared with 2002 when only
\n20.90 days, or 5.75 percent, were categorized as days with good
\nair quality.<\/p>\n
\"We have not made a comprehensive analysis on why air quality
\nwas better on those days, but have assumed that the longer
\nholidays last year were one factor that contributed to cleaner
\nair,\" Yusiono told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that many Jakartans left the city during long
\nholidays or took part in fewer activities.<\/p>\n
\"It also meant that fewer vehicles were about on those
\nholidays.\"<\/p>\n
Vehicular emissions account for 70 percent of air pollution in
\nthe city, while the remaining 30 percent is from industrial
\nemissions.<\/p>\n
Jakarta is home to around 4.7 million vehicles -- consisting
\nof 1.3 million passenger cars, 403,000 commercial vehicles,
\n315,000 buses and 2.6 million motorcycles.<\/p>\n
Environmentalists have warned that air quality in the city
\nwould deteriorate further due to a 5 percent increase in the
\nnumber of vehicles every year, not to mention chronic traffic
\ncongestion and the operation of old vehicles.<\/p>\n
The report is good news, as the agency reported last year that
\nair quality in Jakarta had worsened dramatically. The agency
\nproduces an annual report on air quality based on data it
\ncollects from six air pollution monitoring stations placed across
\nthe capital.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Air Quality<\/p>\n
2000 2001 2002 2003<\/p>\n
% of the year
\nGood 26 20.55 5.75 7
\nModerate 74 70.68 62.19 76.00
\nUnhealthy 0 8.49 31.23 17
\nVery Unhealthy 0 0.27 0.82 0
\nHarmful 0 0 0 0<\/p>\n
Source: Jakarta Environmental Management Agency<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/air-quality-improving-official-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }