Antara, Jakarta – The Environmental and Forestry Ministry is halting the operation of four companies indicated as the cause of air pollution in Greater Jakarta.

The ministry Director of Law Enforcement, Rasio Ridho Sani said that the ministry is focusing on surveilling activities that have the potential of PM2.5 pollution.

"If during the surveillance [the ministry] found another violation, we will also take action," said Rasio during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday, August 23, 2023.

The four companies halted by the Environmental and Forestry Ministry are PT Wahana Sumber Rezeki and PT Unitama Makmur Persada located in Marunda, North Jakarta. The Ministry Task Force for Air Pollution Management said that both companies are coal stockpile companies that do not have detailed Environmental Management Plan and Environmental Monitoring Plan.

The other company that was halted by the ministry is PT Maju Bersama Sejahtera located in Cakung, East Jakarta, suspected of environmental document fraud.

The last one is dumping FABA activity and the industrial chimney used by PT Pindo Deli 3 located in Karawang, West Java. The ministry believes the company violated the technical requirements by failing to install the stack sampling according to the regulation, and an indication of dilution.

In addition, the ministry believes that the pulp and paper company fails to comply with coal waste management standards by conducting FABA dumping.

Meanwhile, since August 21, 2023, the ministry deployed 100 personnel for environmental impact surveillance and management on the non-moving cause of pollution such as coal power plants and industry. The personnel is deployed to 6 locations, namely Marunda, Cakung, Kelapa Gading, Pulo Gadung, Bekasi, and Karawang.

The ministry also carried out efforts to reduce emissions emitted by moving vehicles by encouraging the public to conduct emission tests.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1763549/air-pollution-environmental-ministry-halts-operation-of-4-companie