SMS campaign to single out polluters

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Public transportation operators in Jakarta might have to pay more attention to their vehicles' emissions as Jakartans now have a chance to complain about the fumes they are spewing out.

Since July, blue-skies watchdog Swisscontact has received over 250 text messages from people in Jakarta reporting public transportation vehicles they have spotted belching out thick black smoke on the streets of the capital.

"Pollution in Jakarta is getting worse every day. Public participation is crucial to reducing pollution. That's why we have been encouraging the public to send us their complaints by SMS. Rather surprisingly, many Jakartans have actually responded," Ari Muhammad of Swisscontact told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

There are a large number of companies operate various types of transportation vehicles in the capital, including taxi firms, bajaj (motorized trishaw) operators, mikrolet (minivan) operators, and the Metromini, Kopaja, Mayasari, and PPD bus companies.

Swisscontact is encouraging people to text their complaints to 0817-66-00001, stating how bad the smoke was, the type of vehicle -- taxi, bus, or mikrolet -- and the vehicles registration number.

He said that Swisscontact was still compiling the reports and would submit them to the Jakarta Transportation Agency, the police and the Jakarta Transportation Council for follow-up action.

Jakarta is the third most polluted city in the world, with over six million vehicles spewing out noxious emissions every day.

Although there are only 600,000 public transportation vehicles in the capital, many environmentalists say that most of them are unroadworthy and heavy polluters

Ari said that the large number of complaints showed that something was seriously wrong with the vehicle testing system.

According to the prevailing regulations, public transportation vehicles have to undergo a number of different tests, including an emission test, before they can hit the road. The Jakarta Transportation Agency is the body that is responsible for testing public transportation vehicles.

Theoretically, a vehicle's operator will be unable to get the vehicle registered if it has failed any of the tests.

"Belching out thick smoke is one clear indication that a vehicle should not be allowed on the road in the first place. We hope that the complaints sent in by the public will make the authorities aware that the people are watching them," Ari said.