Overcoming Pollution, Heru Budi Asks BNPB To Modify Weather To Bring Rain In Jakarta

Acting Governor of DKI Heru Budi Hartono (Diah Ayu-VOI)

JAKARTA - Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono asked the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to implement weather modification technology (TMC) to bring rain in Jakarta.

This was stated in a letter of application submitted by Heru to the Head of BNPB Suharyanto on Wednesday, August 16. Heru hopes that BNPB can carry out this weather modification operation from 19 to 21 August yesterday.

"We ask that on August 19-21, 2023, according to the BMKG analysis, weather modification technology (TMC) efforts can be made with full financing originating from ready-to-use funds (DSP) of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB)," Heru wrote in a letter quoted on Tuesday, August 22.

In the letter, Heru explained that the air quality index (AQI) in DKI Jakarta Province, for example on August 13, 2023, was at 170 or included in the unhealthy category with PM2.5 air pollution.

Meanwhile, according to President Joko Widodo's direction in a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace on Monday, August 14, efforts need to reduce air pollution in DKI Jakarta Province, one of which is weather engineering.

"Improving air quality as directed by the President is also in order to make the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta successful on September 5-7, 2023," said Heru.

In a limited meeting regarding improving air quality in the Jabodetabek area, Jokowi issued a number of instructions. Among them are:

1. The hybrid work of President Joko Widodo said it was necessary to encourage a hybrid work system to reduce air pollution in Jabodetabek, which in the past week was categorized as very bad.

"If needed, we must dare to encourage many offices to carry out hybrid working, work from office, work from home maybe. I don't know later from the agreement at this limited meeting, whether (work hours) 7-5, 2-5, or other numbers," said Jokowi when starting a limited meeting on air pollution at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, driven from Antara.

2. Weather engineering According to Jokowi, the causes of DKI Jakarta pollution include long drought, increasing concentration of high pollutants, displacing emissions from transportation, and industrial activities.

Therefore, Jokowi instructed the handling in the short, medium and long term. In the short term, Jokowi asked for weather engineering to provoke rain.

"In the short term, interventions must be carried out as soon as possible that can improve air quality in Jabodetabek better. Then also weather engineering to provoke rain in the Jabodetabek area, and implement regulations to accelerate the application of the Euro 5 and Euro 6 emissions limits, especially in Jabodetabek," said Jokowi.

3. Furthermore, Jokowi ordered the acceleration of the implementation of emission restrictions. The instructions were immediately responded by the Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta, Heru Budi.

Budi said the DKI Provincial Government would encourage the shift in the use of fuel for private vehicles. Heru wants high cc vehicles to use fuel with RON 98.

"For example, 2,400 cc must be Pertamax Turbo, so we all people must be disciplined about it," said Heru.

4. Ask residents to use Jokowi's mass transportation to say that the medium-term solution that can be run is to reduce fossil-based vehicles. Related to this, Jokowi appealed to residents to prefer mass vehicles.

"In the medium term, consistently implementing policies to reduce the use of fossil-based vehicles and immediately switch to mass transportation. I think this month the LRT will be operationalized soon, the MRT will also be operational, then the high-speed train next month," said Jokowi.

5. Supervision of PLTU President Joko Widodo also ordered supervision of the industrial sector and steam power plants around Jabodetabek.

Just so you know, in the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL), there are around 39 new Coal PLTUs that will be built with a capacity of 13.8 gigawatts or 43 percent.

In addition to causing pollution, the addition of PLTU is also predicted to produce 83 million tons of carbon emissions per year during 2021-2030 which will have an impact on increasing geothermal temperatures or global warming.

6. Expanding the last green open space, Jokowi asked for additional green open space in Jakarta. Related to this, Heru Budi Hartono as Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta claims that his party has added green open space since the end of 2022.

"From October to now, we have added 800 locations and the next is that we have planted 216 thousand trees with a minimum of 3 meters," said Heru.