Government hesitates on plan to ban leaded fuel<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Despite growing concern that the country should
\nban leaded fuel, the government insisted on Tuesday that the move
\nwas unlikely in the near future as there were more pressing
\ndemands on its limited resources.<\/p>\n
Assistant to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dipo
\nAlam said the government supported efforts made by non-
\ngovernmental organizations (NGOs) to arrange a presidential
\ndecree ruling that Greater Jakarta be free of leaded fuel by June
\nnext year.<\/p>\n
\"But the government has its priorities, which, among other
\nthings, is promoting social safety net programs,\" Dipo said
\nduring a one-day environmental workshop titled \"Leaded Gasoline
\nPhase-out in Indonesia and Realistic Fuel Pricing Policy\" here on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
He said given the current situation, the government lacked
\nsufficient resources to allocate to the program.<\/p>\n
\"Our funds are limited, therefore we distribute those funds in
\nline with our priorities.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately, we have yet to hear from investors interested
\nin joining the plan,\" he said, adding that the program would go
\nahead should conditions become more feasible.<\/p>\n
Besides Dipo, speakers during the seminar included an
\nexecutive from state-owned oil company PT Pertamina, Maskurun,
\nThe Jakarta Post's managing editor Endy M. Bayuni and National
\nDevelopment Planning Board advisor Chandra Prakash.<\/p>\n
During an environmental workshop held in February, the
\nMinistry of Energy and Mineral Resources agreed that the Greater
\nJakarta area should ban leaded gasoline by June next year, with
\nthe ultimate goal of making the whole country free of leaded
\ngasoline by January 2003.<\/p>\n
Under the plan, sponsored by several NGOs, an estimated US$190
\nto $230 million will be needed to finance the conversion from
\nleaded to unleaded fuel.<\/p>\n
Currently, unleaded fuel, such as Petro 2TT \"blue gasoline\"
\nand Super TT, comprise less than 1.5 percent of the gasoline sold
\nin the country.<\/p>\n
A shortage of investors in the project was also confirmed by
\nMaskurun.<\/p>\n
\"At least 10 investors have come to our office to discuss the
\nplan. But as time goes by, none have agreed to follow up on the
\nplan. Perhaps they realized that the plan was economically
\nchallenging,\" said Maskurun, an executive in the planning
\ndivision of the oil company.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Achmad Syafrudin, chairman of the Jakarta chapter's
\nIndonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi), urged the government to
\ntake immediate steps to somehow begin implementing the plan.<\/p>\n
\"The first step is to raise funds to finance investment in the
\nplan, and that is the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance,\"
\nhe said in his address.<\/p>\n
He warned that air pollution in Greater Jakarta had reached
\nalarming levels.<\/p>\n
\"Air pollution levels in the capital have reached 0.2 to 1.8
\nmicrograms per cubic meter, while the World Health Organization
\nsets the limit at 0.5 micrograms per cubic meter,\" Achmad said.<\/p>\n
Another speaker, Chandra Prakash, also pointed out the serious
\nhealth consequences of high air pollution levels.<\/p>\n
\"As it (lead) is emitted as very fine particles, it is
\ninhaled, easily entering the human body. It can have a serious
\nimpact on human health, such as causing brain damage in
\nchildren,\" he said, adding that the health cost of lead emissions
\nin Indonesia was estimated at $62.4 million per year.(asa)<\/p>",
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