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