Friday Morning, Jakarta's 5th Worst Air Quality In The World

Illustration of air pollution in Jakarta (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Air quality in Jakarta on Friday morning was categorized as unhealthy and ranked fifth as the city with the worst air in the world.

According to the IQAir air quality monitoring site which was monitored on Friday at 06.53 WIB, the air quality in DKI Jakarta is categorized as unhealthy at 169 referring to the PM2.5 parameter with a concentration value of 82 micrograms per cubic meter.

That much concentration is equivalent to 16.1 times the annual air quality guide value of the World Health Organization (WHO). PM 2.5 is an air particle that is small in size from 2.5 microns (micrometers).

The unhealthy category, namely the quality of the air which is detrimental to humans or groups of animals that are sensitive or can cause damage to plants or aesthetic values.

The site also recommends air conditions in Jakarta, namely sensitive groups should not move outside the room. In addition, sensitive groups should also wear masks.

Meanwhile, from the same data, the worst air quality city in the world is first place, namely Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) at 237, the second is Lahore (Pakistan) with 209, third and fourth ranks namely Kinshasa (Kongo) and Delhi (India) with 181.

Previously, Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono issued Governor's Decree (Kepgub) Number 593 of 2023 concerning the Air Pollution Control Task Force as a policy to accelerate the handling of air pollution.

The scope of the air pollution control task force includes compiling Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Handling Air Pollution in DKI Jakarta Province, controlling air pollution from industrial activities, and monitoring periodic air quality conditions, to health impacts from air pollution.

Then, carry out the prevention of polluting sources, both from moving sources and immovable sources, including sources of disturbances and emergency control.

Then implement mandatory motor vehicle emission tests, rejuvenation of public transportation and development of environmentally friendly transportation for public transportation and the government.

Furthermore, it is in charge of increasing open space, green buildings and activating tree planting movements and increasing community participation in improving air quality.

In addition, carry out supervision of licensing compliance which has an impact on air pollution and prosecution of air pollution violations.

The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government will also continue to evaluate and review various policies that have been implemented so that they are right on target and are able to effectively overcome the problem of air pollution.