Car-free push key to rise in clean air days in Jakarta

Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post 30 Dec 08;

With the last car free event of the year held on Sunday, Jakarta will have seen 125 days with "good" air quality in 2008, higher than the 73 days recorded last year, an official said Monday.

Jakarta Environmental Management Board (BPLHD) Chairman Budirama Natakusumah said the car free events helped Jakarta reach the higher number of days with good air quality this year.

The number of days with good quality air has been consistently increasing; from 28 in 2005 to 45 in 2006.

"During the car free day events, the areas usually see a 60 to 80 percent drop in carbon monoxide levels and 50 to 60 percent drop in dust pollution," Budirama told The Jakarta Post.

He said that his agency's target for next year is to hold the event twice a month along Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin, as well as twice a year in each municipality.

This year the city administration held car free events in each of its five municipalities. Central Jakarta saw a car free day on Jl. Letjen Suprapto, in East Jakarta it was on Jl. Pramuka, in South Jakarta on Jl. HR Rasuna Said and in North Jakarta Jl. Danau Sunter Selatan was free of motor vehicles. Meanwhile West Jakarta blocked traffic off Jl. Tongkol, Jl. Cengkeh, Jl. Kali Besar Timur, Jl. Pintu Besar Utara and Jl. Pos Kota, all in the Old Town area.

Alfred Sitorus from the Committee for Phasing Out Leaded Gasoline (KPBB) said that his organization believes the event still has room for improvement, as it still allows private vehicles to use one lane.

"We regret that there is no coordination between the police, the BPLHD and the transportation agency. With the private cars using the slow lanes, it won't affect the air quality as much as it could. If there is no improvement in January's car free day, we will help the organizer to keep the area sterile from all private vehicles," he said.

Budirama acknowledged the flaw in the event. He cited that, on last Sunday's car free event, there was a military-clad troop traveling through the area, ignoring the rule. He said the public was angry at the passing of the military truck.

Besides private cars, top officials such as Vice President Jusuf Kalla have also crashed a car free event.

Budirama said that his agency could not punish the perpetrators.

"We always inform government offices and the public of the events. Lack of information is no excuse. I am happy if NGOs want to help us in the event," he said.

Alfred questioned the accuracy of the data because, while a car free day event decreases pollution by 20-30 percent, pollution levels jump by up to 70 percent on the average work day.

"Perhaps they count the quality air days from the number of Sundays and the car free days. Perhaps they count the pollution percentage on Jl. Sudirman - Jl. MH Thamrin and claim it as the whole of Jakarta. As far as I know, the city administration only has five monitoring devices," he said.

Budirama said that his agency planned to buy fixed equipment for Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin this year. The European-made equipment cost Rp 5 billion (US$455,000), he said.

"But due to the late budget, we have to return the money. We hope we can procure the equipment next year," he said.