Campaign starts to curb air pollution<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): State Minister of Environment Sarwono
\nKusumaatmadja launched a national campaign aimed at curbing air
\npollution caused by motorized vehicles and industries.<\/p>\n
The Langit Biru (Blue Sky) campaign is primarily intended to
\nimprove public awareness about the need to reduce poisonous gases
\nemitted by engines.<\/p>\n
The Environmental Impact Management Agency designed the
\ncampaign in 1992 to address increased air pollution caused by the
\ngrowth in industrial and transportation activities.<\/p>\n
The Blue Sky campaign will be implemented in major industrial
\ncities such as Jakarta, Denpasar and Surabaya.<\/p>\n
"Compared to its growth and development, Semarang's air is
\nrelatively clean. With the program, Semarang's air is expected to
\nbe cleaner than Jakarta's," Sarwono said.<\/p>\n
The campaign will focus on monitoring pollutant sources and
\nimproving public awareness on the need to maintain clean air, the
\nminister said.<\/p>\n
Thirty-four companies in Semarang, Jakarta, Surabaya and
\nDenpasar committed to reducing hazardous gas emissions to the
\ntolerable limit yesterday. The agency will monitor their
\nactivities to ensure compliance.<\/p>\n
Control over motorized vehicles include diversifying energy
\nsources by shifting from gasoline to compressed natural gas (CNG)
\n-- claimed to produce less emissions compared to regular fuel --
\nstarting with public transportation such as taxis.<\/p>\n
A total of 250 Kosti taxi owners in Surakarta and Semarang
\nsigned an agreement with CNG distributor PT Otogas Karya Pratama
\non the use of CNG.<\/p>\n
Though it is expected that private vehicles will eventually
\nuse CNG, the minister said that popularizing CNG must wait until
\nfacilities to produce the gas is sufficient.<\/p>\n
"We have sufficient amounts of natural gas but not enough
\nfacilities to process it," Sarwono told reporters.<\/p>\n
Severe air pollution may cause death, lung disease, heart and
\nrespiratory problems, headache, eye irritation, ear and nasal
\nirritation, and mental retardation among children.<\/p>\n
Sarwono also urged provincial administrations to take a
\npreventive approach in handling environmental concerns,
\nparticularly pollution, instead of being reactive.<\/p>\n
The public's environmental concern seems to have improved as
\npeople longer tolerate factories which handle their industrial
\nwaste carelessly, he said.<\/p>\n
The minister called for cautious reports on environmental
\nissues, as unproportional reports could be manipulated for non-
\nenvironmental purposes by certain interest groups.<\/p>\n
He recalled a time when a group of people claiming to be
\naffected by the disposal of hazardous waste staged a protest at
\nhis office in Jakarta. The demonstrators did not demand
\nenvironmental solutions but greater democracy instead, he said.<\/p>\n
"Not all people who are upset have political motivation," he
\nadded but did not elaborate. (14)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/campaign-starts-to-curb-air-pollution-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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