Councilor wants more pollution controls

Councilor wants more pollution controls

JAKARTA (JP): A city councilor called for more facilities for
vehicle emission testing to support an upcoming policy on banning
polluting buses and trucks in certain areas.

Bandjar Marpaung who heads Commission D for development
affairs said yesterday the policy, to be effective in September,
would be a good start to reduce air pollution.

"We don't want to be labeled the world's third worst polluted
city forever," he said.

Bandjar was responding to a statement by the head of the
city's environment bureau Aboejoewono Aboeprajitno, who said
certain areas would only allow public and delivery transportation
vehicles with green stickers to pass through.

The stickers would be issued to vehicles which pass emission
tests.

More natural gas pumps must also be provided to encourage
truck and bus owners to change to compressed natural gas or
liquefied gas, Bandjar said.

The policy, in line with preparations to implement the 1994
Traffic and Road Transport Law, follows a series of spot checks
conducted last year and in January.

Owners of privately owned cars would be given one year to
improve their emission, Aboejoewono said.

Added facilities to check emission would encourage
improvement, Bandjar said. Currently the facilities are limited
to Pulo Gadung in East Jakarta, Kalideres in West Jakarta and
Jagakarsa in South Jakarta.

Aboejoewono also reiterated failure to pass emission tests
would mean motorists would not be able to extend their vehicle
ownership documents.

He added that certain areas would also be designated for only
pedestrians on Sundays. (anr)