Vechicle emission crackdown planned citywide

Vechicle emission crackdown planned citywide

JAKARTA (JP): The municipality and related agencies are to
examine vehicle gas emissions as part of a citywide clean-air
campaign.

The head of the city environment bureau, Aboejoewono
Abuprajitno, told an environment-day press conference yesterday
that the first phase of the operation, on June 11-13 and 18-20,
will be carried out in six locations.

The campaign is part of a number of events in conjunction with
World Environment Day, which falls on June 14.

"Officials from the city police and the city administration's
offices will stop all vehicles in the locations to examine their
gas emissions," Aboejoewono said.

The second stage will be held on Dec. 11-13 and 18-20 while
the third will be conducted in June next year, he added.

Aboejoewono said he deemed the operation imperative because
surveys on vehicle gas emissions, conducted since 1991, have not
shown any improvement in the quality of the emissions.

"Therefore, the operation constitutes part of the efforts to
implement gubernatorial decree No. 1222/1990, which stipulates
that all vehicles in Jakarta are required to be subject to gas
emission tests," he said.

A research study conducted by the city environment and study
office in 1990/1991 showed that 67.1 percent of the city's
pollution is caused by the transportation sector.

Another recent study, by the United Nations, also showed that
Jakarta is the third most polluted city in the world after Mexico
City and Bangkok.

And a research study conducted by the city's mass transit
project office shows that each year about US$1 billion worth of
gasoline is wasted by the city's traffic.

Aboejoewono said that in the first phase, each location is
expected to examine 200 vehicles during the given time.

Aboejoewono said the parameters of the test are carbon
monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC) gases while other particles such
lead, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) will not
be tested.

"The vehicles fulfilling the requirements will be given green
stickers and souvenirs, while those who fail will be given red
stickers and three days to meet the requirements," he said.

Aboejoewono said to make sure the red-sticker vehicles fulfill
the requirement the city police will record the number of the
vehicles' documents.

"The city police will see whether the vehicles have fulfilled
the requirements when the owners renew the documents," he said.

Aboejoewono added that the administration will also hold
various activities to commemorate environment day, such as a
public presentation on the environment, canoeing and traditional
boat races.

"The governor has also issued a special instruction which
prohibits city officials from smoking on May 31 in city
administration offices," Aboejoewono said. (yns)