The government's efforts to deal with air pollution issues in the industrial sector are encouraged to be more transparent and firm. Supervision of the industrial sector needs to be strengthened by adding supervisory officers.
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The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Polusi Udara Picu Lonjakan Kasus ISPA
TOTOK WIJAYANTO
The steam power plant (PLTU) landscape in Suralaya, Merak, Banten, on Monday (28/8/2023). Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya presented the biggest source of air pollution in Jakarta and its surroundings is from motor vehicles (44 percent) and steam power plants (34 percent).
JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Air pollution has contributed to a surge in cases of acute respiratory tract infections or ISPA in the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi areas. The issue of air pollution was discussed again in a limited cabinet meeting led by President Joko Widodo on Monday (28/8/2023).
According to surveillance data on respiratory diseases in the Jabodetabek region released by the Ministry of Health, the average number of cases exceeds 100,000 per month until mid-2023. In August 2023, it was recorded to have doubled to 200,000 cases.
"There is indeed an increase in the issue of substances related to air pollution in Jabodetabek," said Director General of Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health, Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, during a press conference on "Handling the Impact of Air Pollution on Public Health" in Jakarta on Monday (28/8/2023). "
The Chairman of the Respiratory Disease and Air Pollution Impact Prevention Committee (PPRDPU), Agus Dwi Susanto, stated that the top five most common respiratory diseases are tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, pneumonia, and asthma.
The financing burden for these five diseases is almost reaching IDR 10 trillion in 2022. In addition, pollution is the fifth highest risk factor for death in Indonesia after high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and obesity.
KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO
The Environmental Agency of Bekasi City held a free emissions test for four-wheeled vehicles at the Rawa Lumbu sub-district office in Bekasi City, West Java, on Monday (8/28/2023). Jakarta and its surrounding cities have been classified as severely polluted areas for the past three decades.
Regarding the situation, the PPRDPU committee is implementing mitigation efforts by preparing an early warning system related to regular air quality monitoring results. According to the plan, this system will be integrated with the Satu Sehat platform.
"Warnings will be given to the public when the air quality is poor. A notification will be released and instructions on what to do will be provided. We are currently preparing the concept," said Agus.
In discussing a limited cabinet meeting, the Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar stated that 11 industries that were sources of pollution were subject to administrative sanctions. The industries that were subject to the sanctions were in the coal stockpile industry, metal smelting, paper manufacturing, and charcoal.
In addition, the team has identified as many as 351 industries that are sources of pollution, including steam power and diesel power plants. Law enforcement measures will continue to be taken for the next four to five weeks.
The closed meeting also discussed weather modification or artificial rain efforts to reduce air pollution. From monitoring, the rain around Bogor on Monday resulted in a decrease in the standard air pollution index (ISPU) for PM 2.5 from 97 to 29.
Weather modification is also carried out on a micro scale by releasing water vapor from tall buildings. This steam can affect the particles that cause air pollution.
In order to anticipate the increasing respiratory disease, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that he will continue to educate the public about the dangers of air pollution for health. The public is advised to use masks as a preventive measure. The recommended masks have KF94 or KN95 specifications.
Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta, Heru Budi Hartono, has urged leaders in the Bodetabek region to work together in addressing air pollution in Jabodetabek. The impact of air pollution cannot be resolved by the Jakarta Provincial Government alone.
According to information from the Transportation Department, the number of vehicles entering Jakarta from the Greater Jakarta area is around 997,000 per day. This is a matter of common concern. (Heru Budi Hartono)
Heru stated that the majority of motor vehicles passing through Jakarta come from the Bodetabek community who work in Jakarta. As for motor vehicles, they are declared as the highest contributor to emissions in Jakarta.
"Based on information from the Department of Transportation, the number of vehicles entering Jakarta from Bodetabek is around 997,000 per day. This has become our common concern,” said Heru."
Traffic congestion on Jalan Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta, Friday (25/8/2023). Air pollution in Jabodetabek which has not improved has the potential to make people infected with influenza virus.
Several efforts have also been made by the Jakarta Provincial Government to address air pollution, including law enforcement through emissions raids that must meet emission standards for mobile emissions, namely motor vehicles. In addition, regulation is enforced on industries that do not maintain and manage chimneys for non-mobile emissions.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) yesterday released their perspectives and proposals for short-term, medium-term, and long-term solutions to pollution in Jakarta. The proposal for pollution solutions aims to also consider public health, meet consumer demands, and prevent economic losses.
Short-term solution for Apindo is to focus on enforcing existing pollution control regulations. This includes policies such as emission testing, banning trash burning, and providing incentives for the use of environmentally friendly public transportation and electric vehicles. Note: The word "PBB" has not been translated, as it is on the list of forbidden words in Bahasa Indonesia.
In relation to medium-term solutions, Apindo believes that the government needs to implement programs related to the needs of the wider community. This includes improving the provision of environmentally friendly public transportation, electric vehicles, as well as educating the public about environmentally friendly behavior.
As for long-term solutions, among them are a fair energy transition by considering the parties affected by the transition process. Forms of government support at a national scale are financing, investment mobilization, and fiscal incentives.
"Apindo appreciates the government's efforts in handling the situation by prioritizing public health. Apindo will propose other suggestions related to pollution factors and solutions for the common interest, and always prioritize collaboration," said Apindo's Chairman Shinta W Kamdani."
Residents burned dry grass on the edge of the Ciliwung River, which had receded in Cawang, Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, on Friday (25/8/2023). Burning trash also contributes to air pollution.
Separately, the Chairman of the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) for DKI Jakarta, Muhammad Aminullah, assessed that the government's efforts in addressing air pollution issues in the industrial sector have not been transparent and firm.
"In DKI Jakarta, there are at least around 1,600 manufacturing industries, not including other business sectors. However, we have not seen any decisive action. Oversight is also still quite weak," he said.
From 2018 to 2021, Walhi DKI noted that there were about 5,000 new business permit documents issued in Jakarta. Meanwhile, on an annual basis, only about 848 industries are within the reach of supervision.
In 2021, out of thousands of businesses with environmental permits, only around 700 industries can be monitored. As a result, 400 industries are not complying with regulations.
According to Aminullah, there is a disparity between the number of industries and the supervisory teams. Therefore, the government needs to deploy more human resources to oversee the industries. The number should be proportional to the number of industries.
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