Danger lurking everywhere
We, especially in Jakarta, are living in a very difficult period, because danger is lurking everywhere, all around us, from the left and the right, from the front and back, and from above and beneath.
I am not talking about dangers from the economic crisis, nor dangers from hooligans, robbers, kidnappers, rapists or from many other crimes.
The danger I am referring to is a slow killer. You usually realize and feel the effects of this danger when it is too late. It knows no discrimination, it attacks the rich, the poor, the powerless, the powerful, female, male, Indonesians and foreigners alike, in short, all living creatures. I am talking about the danger of air pollution in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta, which after Mexico and Bangkok is the worst polluted city in the world.
Let us look at the pollution situation in Jakarta without getting too scientific. Jakarta's area is approximately 601.52 square kilometers with about 10 million inhabitants. Jakarta's progress is amazing, skyscrapers are mushrooming, the industrial sector is booming, with the consequence that there are an increasing number of vehicles, which in turn poison the Jakarta sky and air with pollution.
The latest statistics show that in Jakarta we have 3,021,138 vehicles, consisting of: 1,540,825 motorcycles, 310,128 trucks and others, 849,939 private cars and 320,246 buses, with an annual increase of 11.76 percent overall, not supported by an adequate increase of roads at only 2.5 percent. Statistics also show that 59.97 percent of the vehicles use gasoline, 41.58 percent solar and 0.29 percent gas.
Pollution comes from moving objects, like cars and static objects like factories, household activities and garbage. Jakarta pollution is caused by both moving and static objects such as from the industrial sector (18.9 percent), household (11.1 percent), transportation (66.3 percent) and garbage (3.7 percent). Forty-four percent of SPM (Suspended Particulate Matter), 89 percent of hydrocarbons, 100 percent of lead and about 73 percent of NOX in the Jakarta air come from the transportation sector.
Air pollution is closely related to socioeconomic patterns of development and is a function of energy consumption. The demand for increased energy will obviously be accompanied by a decrease of air quality and will eventually endanger the environment.
Air pollution in Jakarta is alarming. Surveys in Jakarta show that lead concentration in the ambient air is quite high, often exceeding national and international limits and excessive lead in the blood will cause the most frightening impact, as it will affect the neurophysiological and intellectual development of our children. It becomes obvious and urgent that we must control air pollution and fight it.
Fighting pollution is a very complicated matter. It involves many agencies, industries, academics, NGOs and the public at large. The public need regular information about the dangers brought about by air pollution. It is therefore highly commendable that Swiss Contact under the leadership of Mr. David Kueper and assisted by Mr. Hugo Sager together with Indonesian NGOs like WALHI (Indonesian Forum for the Environment) and YLKI (Foundation of Indonesian Consumers Protection) organize seminars such as that is called Segar Jakarta. I hope and pray that these institutions will continue organizing seminars to enlighten the people of Jakarta of the dangers of pollution and how to fight it.
SOEGIH ARTO
Jakarta