City to open new gas fuel pumps

JAKARTA (JP): The city will officially open new gas pumps at 11 filling stations as part of the blue sky air pollution campaign on Dec. 20, an official said yesterday.

TB. M. Rais, the deputy governor in charge of development and economic affairs, said the stations would provide gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Now there are only three gas stations which supply LPG and these are for taxis. So far several taxi companies have used compressed natural gas (CNG).

Some 4,000 taxis have converted to LPG and CNG, in line with the city's blue sky campaign to reduce air pollution.

The state oil company, Pertamina, intends to phase out leaded gasoline. The alternatives to leaded fuel are LPG, compressed natural gas and unleaded gas (Super TT).

At the 11 stations, one leaded gas pump will be replaced by an LPG pump.

"This will help reduce the use of leaded gasoline fuel in the city," Rais said.

In the future people will be able to choose unleaded gas or natural gas at all stations, he said.

The government is stepping up its campaign for environmentally safer fuel.

On Saturday, State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja authorized an agreement between a private LPG supplier and the West Java provincial government to build LPG filling stations. The agreement includes parts of greater Jakarta.

Rais said the 11 stations were in designated green areas.

The decision to install gas fuel pumps at stations in green areas was to compensate for canceled plans to relocate gas stations from those areas.

The city planned to relocate 33 gas stations from green areas but Pertamina said it could disrupt the area's gas supply.

The administration has vowed to clean up its green areas.

Finally, it was decided the gas stations in green areas should supply natural gas to help curb air pollution.

An environmental research center study found car fumes caused 67 percent of the city's air pollution.

Lead, used to increase gasoline's octane power, was found to be one of the most harmful pollutants. Consumption of lead particles in the cardiovascular system has been found to harm the nervous system and cause other health problems.

Pertamina's efforts to popularize Super TT is yet to be successful because leaded gas is cheaper.

Super TT, now sold at eight gas stations in Jakarta, was lowered to Rp 975 from Rp 1,000 last week.

A Pertamina source said Pertamina planned to increase the supply of Super TT next year. The source could not say how many more gas stations would sell unleaded fuel.

Sugestiawan, an executive of PT Elnusa which distributes Super TT, said sales had increased 10 percent since Pertamina lowered the price.

The increase was particularly noticed at the gas stations on Jl. Jend. Sudirman and Jl. Kayu Putih in Kelapa Gading, Sugestiawan said. (02/anr)