Greening campaign

Greening campaign

From Kompas

The government is launching a greening campaign throughout the
country with its catch phrase: A million trees program.

Hence it is ironic to see that well established trees on Jalan
Pemuda, opposite the Matahari Department Store, and on Pasar Baru
Timur in Jakarta have been severely pruned leaving only the main
trunk and branches intact.

This onslaught on trees occurs in other parts of the city as
well. Will this trend continue until Jakarta -- where signs of
green has just showed up -- turn into a desert?

PATRICK A. TUNGGONO

Jakarta

From Kompas

Jalan Thamrin and Sudirman in Jakarta have become the central
business district with no less than half a million employees.

Those employees go out for lunch in nearby restaurants every
day and because of the intense heat they prefer to use cars, thus
aggravating the already congested traffic.

I think if there were shade trees along the pavement of the
main thoroughfares, instead of on the traffic island, how
wonderful it would be for us pedestrians and there would also be
less strain on the traffic.

I suggest that trees be planted along the pavement of the two
streets, beginning from the water fountain in front of Hotel
Indonesia up to the Kebayoran Baru statue near the Ratu Plaza
shopping center.

HERMANSYAH

Jakarta