Many cars fail emission tests

Many cars fail emission tests

JAKARTA (JP): About 33 percent of 1,627 vehicles that
underwent emission tests last month failed to meet the test's
minimum requirements, an official has said.

Kosasih, spokesman of the city environment office, said
Tuesday that the vehicles tested consisted of 754 diesel-fueled
cars and 873 gasoline-fueled cars.

The tests were conducted at the Ancol dreamland area, the
Ancol industrial site, Marunda, the Pluit industrial site and the
Tanjung Priok industrial plot -- all in North Jakarta -- and the
Pulogadung industrial plot, Cakung and Kelapa Gading in East
Jakarta.

"We hope to run another test this year ... so we can routinely
check on the roadworthiness of vehicles in the city," he said.

"With a routine test and a campaign raising the dangers of air
pollution, we hope the failure rate in future vehicle emission
tests can be reduced," Kosasih said.

The vehicle emission test was part of the city's Blue Sky
program.

Meanwhile, Ali Rozi, the head of the city environment control
and management agency announced Tuesday that the amount of dust
in the air in Jakarta was currently nine times higher than
prescribed healthy levels despite the coming monsoon season.

"Based on our air pollution detection control panel, the dust
content in the city's air has exceeded the safe level ...
prescribed in gubernatorial decree No. 587/1990," Ali said.

"The high level of dust content has been caused mainly by the
prolonged dry season, the huge number of vehicles operating in
the city and the large number of development projects in certain
areas here," he said.

The agency has installed 12 control stations in Jakarta to
routinely check on air quality.

Ali said exceedingly high levels of dust had been detected at
Senayan, Rawa Buaya, Istiqlal Mosque, Dufan, Radio Dalam and
Pulogadung. (edt)