`Govt has done its best to reduce air pollution'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An official called for greater public
\nparticipation in fighting air pollution, saying that the
\ngovernment had already done its best in the campaign.<\/p>\n
\"The government has done everything possible to reduce air
\npollution in big cities such as Jakarta,\" Margana Koesoemadinata,
\ndirector of air pollution control at the Environmental Impact
\nManagement Agency, told a seminar on pollution yesterday.<\/p>\n
He dismissed criticism by participants that the government has
\nyet to establish a proper approach and achieve workable solutions
\nto the city's pollution problem. He cited the production of
\nunleaded gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas as examples of the
\ngovernment's effort.<\/p>\n
\"The problem is, it's the public who's not interested in using
\nunleaded gasoline,\" he said. \"Therefore, the government has to
\nwork harder in raising public awareness of, and participation in,
\nthe campaign.\"<\/p>\n
He charged that some publications have discredited the use of
\ncompressed natural gas (CNG) for its alleged detrimental impact
\non health and the danger of explosion.<\/p>\n
Margana said the publications have contributed to people's
\napprehension of the use of CNG gas.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's seminar also discussed how people spend more money
\nto cure diseases brought about by air pollution than to conduct
\nenvironmental programs.<\/p>\n
Dody Susanto, the chairman of the Foundation of Natural
\nResources and Environment Development which held the seminar,
\nquoted from official data that Indonesia annually spends US$425
\nmillion for pollution-related diseases, and 0.5 percent of the
\namount for environmental programs.<\/p>\n
Trismawan, the director of Jakarta-based PT Blue Bird, the
\nsole distributor of liquefied petroleum gas, told The Jakarta
\nPost that 10 years after the gas was introduced as an alternative
\nto gasoline, there are only 1,450 vehicles operating with the
\ngas. Most of them are taxis, he added.<\/p>\n
Poerwoto of the Agency for the Ecological Assessment of the
\nJakarta city administration lamented the lack of a legal base for
\nthe authorities to punish drivers and owners of vehicles whose
\nemissions exceed the pollution limit.<\/p>\n
He said his office is proposing a bill to the Ministry of
\nTransportation to enforce a law which will enable police to
\nrevoke the operation permits of the offending public transport
\nvehicles. (16)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-has-done-its-best-to-reduce-air-pollution-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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