On air pollution

Two letters appearing in the June 20, 1996 edition of The Jakarta Post from Mr. Coelho and Mr. Suradibroto, which followed Mr. Gentry's (The Jakarta Post, June 18, 1996) prompt me to raise an additional issue concerning the vexatious question of Jakarta's polluted air.

I seem to remember reading a report in The Jakarta Post some weeks (maybe months) ago that what might be termed as "anti- pollution commandos" were to be established to patrol city streets and crack down on (drivers of) vehicles emitting clouds of black diesel smoke. So far, I have seen no sign of any such activity: trucks and buses continue to belch their noxious fumes, and the air becomes even more heavily polluted.

Was this just a good idea that was then allowed to fade away, or are there in fact any of these "commandos" in operation? I'd be interested to know.

R.B. SAWREY-COOKSON

Jakarta