City bans smoking in public places<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Smoke at your own risk.<\/p>\n
That was the message left hanging in the air from city
\ncouncillors on Friday when they endorsed the air pollution bylaw,
\nwhich bans smoking in all enclosed public places.<\/p>\n
Along with general air pollution regulations, the bylaw,
\nendorsed one month after it was submitted to the council on Jan.
\n4, criminalizes smoking inside public buildings; a violation
\npunishable by six months' jail and\/or a fine of Rp 50 million
\n(US$5,555).<\/p>\n
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said earlier that the bylaw, which
\nhas earned praise from anti-smoking and environmental activists,
\nwas an important measure to clean up the capital's air. Studies
\nhave ranked Jakarta's air quality as the third-worst in the world
\nafter Mexico and Bangkok.<\/p>\n
Councillors said areas smoking was now banned in included
\nschools, office buildings, buses, trains and airplanes, malls,
\nrestaurants and hotels.<\/p>\n
The ruling, which will not be enforced for another year when a
\npublic information campaign ends, also requires all cars, trucks
\nand buses to undergo emission testing every six months and all
\npublic transport and city council vehicles to run on natural gas
\nrather than gasoline.<\/p>\n
According to environmentalists, vehicular emissions contribute
\nup to 70 percent of the pollution in the capital, with industrial
\nemissions accounting for the remaining 30 percent.<\/p>\n
The bylaw also states that residents have the right to file
\nclass actions against polluters if they can prove their emissions
\ncaused them suffering.<\/p>\n
Police officers and public officials will enforce the rulings.<\/p>\n
Non-governmental organizations belonging to the Coalition for
\nClean Air welcomed the bylaw on Friday, and urged the city
\nadministration to properly enforce the regulations.<\/p>\n
In a statement sent to The Jakarta Post, the coalition
\nstressed the administration should immediately disseminate
\ninformation about all the new rulings.<\/p>\n
\"One year is long enough for the city administration to inform
\nthe public about the new rules,\" Tubagus Haryo Karbyanto, of the
\nJakarta Residents Forum, said.<\/p>\n
Tubagus said the city should invite all those affected by the
\nbylaw, including building managers and public transport
\noperators, to discuss how to make the ruling effective.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Smoking Control Foundation (LembagaM3) also
\nwelcomed the smoking ban.<\/p>\n
\"Smoking is not only dangerous for smokers, but also for
\npeople nearby because they are forced to inhale tail smoke,\"
\nLembagaM3 chairman Renie Singgih said.<\/p>\n
Other groups in the coalition include Swisscontact, the Clean
\nAir Appreciation Movement, the Indonesian Center for Environment
\nLaw, the Clean Emission Partner and the Committee for Phasing out
\nLeaded Gasoline (KPBB).<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 6<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-bans-smoking-in-public-places-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }