Council may OK test for vehicular emissions<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Several members of the City Council's Commission D were puffing
\naway on cigarettes when an activist from the Coalition for Clean
\nAir said indoor pollution produced by, among other things,
\ncigarettes posed a greater health risk than outdoor pollution.<\/p>\n
The smoking councillors were temporarily nonplussed, but were
\nable to recover sufficiently to puff away through the rest of the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
Such was the scene when the 15 members of Commission D met
\nwith activists from the Coalition for Clean Air to discuss the
\ndraft bylaw on air pollution.<\/p>\n
The coalition called on the council to make the draft \"more
\napplicable\", with detailed, complete and straightforward
\nstipulations and heavier sanctions for violators.<\/p>\n
\"The bylaw must explicitly oblige residents to have their
\nvehicles regularly checked,\" said activist Ari Muhammad.<\/p>\n
Environmentalists have called for mandatory emission tests for
\ncars operating in the city to help curb air pollution. Vehicular
\nemissions account for 70 percent of air pollution in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The draft bylaw Governor Sutiyoso submitted to the City
\nCouncil two weeks ago sets emission standards but does not
\nexplicitly require vehicles to be tested.<\/p>\n
Currently, only public transportation vehicles and cargo
\ntrucks are required to undergo an emission test. Owners of
\nprivate vehicles are only advised to have their vehicles checked,
\nwith no sanctions should the owners fail to have the vehicles
\ntested.<\/p>\n
The coalition deplored the fact that the draft does not
\nprovide details on how the administration will monitor the
\nimplementation of the bylaw to ensure the compliance of
\nresidents.<\/p>\n
Councillor Denny Talloga of the Democratic Party faction
\nwelcomed the coalition's criticisms and promised that the
\ncommission would work to include its suggestions in the bylaw.<\/p>\n
\"We have to be sterner and firmer in upholding environmental
\nregulations because failure to comply with the rules poses a
\nserious threat to future generations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said he would seek to have the fine for polluters increased
\nto Rp 50 million (US$5,555) from the proposed Rp 5 million.<\/p>\n
Another councillor, Muhayar of the Prosperous Justice Party
\nfaction (PKS), said his faction would press the administration to
\ngo ahead with plans to require all public transportation vehicles
\nto use environmentally friendly compressed natural gas (CNG)
\ninstead of diesel fuel or gasoline, which produce higher levels
\nof pollutants.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, we will also urge the administration to ensure
\nthat most gas stations in the city are equipped with CNG pumps to
\nensure a continuous supply of CNG,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has 17 CNG stations but only seven are currently
\noperational because of a lack of demand.<\/p>\n
A recent survey found at least 500 taxi cabs from the Kosti
\nGroup use CNG. However, most of the cabs are too old and are not
\nequipped to use CNG.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/council-may-ok-test-for-vehicular-emissions-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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