Jakarta's Pollution Index Is High, Heru Budi Will Be Weather Engineering Again

Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono during the Jakarta International Marathon (JAKIM) in Jakarta, Sunday, June 23. (Tsa Tsia-VOI)

JAKARTA - Jakarta Governor Heru Budi Hartono said weather engineering would be carried out to improve air quality. He said this method has often been done.

"Like a few years ago, including those that were engineered about a month ago, we will do that again," Heru told reporters in the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium area, Central Jakarta, Sunday, June 23.

Heru said the discussion on weather engineering had been carried out together with the Jakarta Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD). "This includes BNPB," he said.

Previously reported, the high amount of air pollution in Jakarta entering the dry season has returned to the spotlight. Head of the DKI Jakarta Environmental Agency, Asep Kuswanto, asked buffer areas to help suppress air pollution in the area.

He said the Jabodetabekjur agglomeration regional governments, namely Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, and Cianjur, needed to tighten the supervision of factories that pollute the air through the ceiling. Because, it is undeniable that the pollution is often carried by the wind to Jakarta.

"We encourage local governments around Jakarta to be more stringent in supervising industries in their areas that have the potential to pollute the air there and carry the wind to Jakarta," said Asep.

In recent days, the dominant Jakarta wind comes from the east and northeastern direction. This is based on the HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) analysis which simulates movement and propagation of pollutants in the atmosphere, thus helping in understanding the source and impact of air pollution.

On the one hand, Asep claims that the DKI Provincial Government continues its serious efforts in tackling the decline in air quality in Jakarta from various sources of emissions, including industrial and motorized vehicles.

"Although in the midst of declining air conditions, the DKI Provincial Government already has clear steps in tackling air pollution. We are in the process of resolving it," said Asep.