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Law enforcement, source monitoring focus of pollution task force
The task force, led by the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s law enforcement director general, will emphasize the enforcement of existing laws on polluting industries and individuals.
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Jakarta’s landmark National Monument complex on June 6, 2023, under a heavily-polluted sky. (Antara/Fauzan)
T
he Environment and Forestry Ministry has set up a task force to tackle the rising air pollution in the Greater Jakarta area, with a focus on law enforcement and monitoring potential pollutant sources.
Environmentalists are, however, unconvinced that the task force will produce significant results in reducing the pollution that has been choking the capital.
The ministry’s task force will focus on managing air pollution, which starts with identifying sources of pollutants in the Greater Jakarta area, said Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar.
“Monitoring all sources of pollutants is important to improve air quality and to enforce disciplined measures in protecting the environment,” Siti said in a statement on Saturday.
The task force, led by the ministry’s law enforcement director general, will emphasize the enforcement of existing laws on polluting industries and individuals. Officials will inspect “stationary pollution sources” such as power plants and manufacturing industrial complexes.
If any business is found guilty of failing to control their emissions, the task force will impose administrative sanctions, criminally charge or file a civil lawsuit against the owners of the business.
The task force will also focus on other measures to prevent and diminish pollution, such as launching vehicle emission tests across Greater Jakarta, planting trees that can absorb the pollutants and cloud seeding to create rain and therefore clean the air, Siti said.
