Adianto P Simamora and Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – An environmental group declared Thursday says the administration is not ready to enforce bylaw No. 2/2005 on air pollution control, which comes into effect next month.
Jakarta Environment Caucus (KLJ) coordinator Muhayar Rustamuddin said the administration needed to think seriously about supporting regulations for the bylaw. "...otherwise the bylaw won't be workable," said Muhayar, who is also a councillor He said the caucus would be keeping a close eye on the efficacy and workability of the bylaw.
The KLJ is a non-governmental organization uniting, among others, former state minister of the environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, Clean Air Partnership (MEB) secretary-general Ahmad Safrudin and chairman of the Jakarta Resident's Forum (Fakta) Azas Tigor Nainggolan. Muhayar said the KLJ was dedicated to environmental causes.
Jakarta is up against air, water and land pollution problems as well as a poor waste management system, said head of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment's (Walhi) Jakarta chapter Slamet Darruiny, who attended Thursday an event in which the formation of the group was announced.
"If the city fails to address these problems, disasters will result," Slamet said. He said the city was at a critical juncture with losses due to air pollution in 2015 estimated at a staggering Rp 4.3 trillion, compared to Rp 1.8 trillion in 1998. "Up to 70 percent of air pollution in Jakarta comes from vehicle emissions, so something must be done," he said. Atmospheric pollutants and irritants have been linked to chronic respiratory problems.
Slamet said many people drank polluted groundwater as the city waterworks' pumping and purifying equipment was only sufficient to supply 45 percent of Jakartans. Whereas water shortages are experienced in the dry season, floods leave many people homeless in the rainy season, he said.
Jakarta has 78 flood-prone areas, mostly in North Jakarta. The areas include Kampung Melayu, Cipinang Besar Utara, Cipinang Besar Selatan, Petamburan, Kedoya Utara, Pegadungan, Tegal Alur, Kelapa Gading, Pejagalan, Kamal Muara, Sungai Bambu, Kebon Bawang, Warakas, Sunter Utara. Sunter Agung, Tugu Selatan, Tugu Utara, Rawa Badak Utara, Koja, Semper Barat, Cilincing, Kalibaru, Semper Timur, Marunda, Rorotan, and Sukapura.
Slamet said the city's poor waste-management system also put residents at risk of disaster. "Jakarta produces 25,650 cubic meters of garbage daily but the administration can only manage 88 percent or 22.500 cubic meters," he said.
"Effective communications between the public, non-governmental organizations and the city administration can help us overcome these problems," he said.