Air Pollution, Govt Conducts Weather Modification and Emission Tests

TheIndonesia.id - Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar stated that weather modification technique had been applied through producing artificial rain and carried out emission tests to handle air pollution.

"We produce artificial rain in areas with pollution to clean the air. It will be carried out today or tomorrow to clean the air," the minister noted in Jakarta on Monday, 21 August, 2023.

Her ministry will also continue to evaluate the results of the artificial rain produced on an ongoing basis.

"We will check on August 28 and then on September 2 or 4," she remarked, as quoted by Antara.

Moreover, the minister noted that her side has provided emission tests for the community to check the level of emissions produced by their vehicles.

Bakar explained that the handling of air pollution in Jakarta with artificial rain comes with a challenge, as the capital city is located in a concave area.

"Jakarta's shape is slightly narrowed downwards and wide to the sea. It is called an alluvial fan. Its shape is similar to a fan. Theoretically, in this type of location, when the pollution from below comes to the top, it is not easy to move because it is hampered by wind pressure and other things from the hills," she explained.

On account of these obstacles, she noted that the rain will not reach Jakarta and fall into the sea. Moreover, Jakarta has a plethora of skyscrapers that affect the surrounding air flows and dispersion patterns, she added.

"Hence, the air is difficult to clean or difficult to flow neatly," the minister remarked.

She also emphasized that the Air Pollution Control Task Force in Jakarta-Bogor-Depok-Tangerang-Bekasi (Jabodetabek) that had been formed began to follow up on companies, such as Steam Power Plants (PLTU), Diesel Power Plants (PLTD), and companies that burn electronic waste as well as other production results.

"The task force is already operating. I ask them not to disclose their operation target. If companies know the operation target, they will prepare themselves. Therefore, it is carried out simultaneously," she remarked.

Moreover, Bakar said that her side had named four perpetrators in Tangerang that were proven guilty of burning electronic waste.

"Burning electronic waste is dangerous. Our Director General of Law Enforcement had arrested the four perpetrators," she revealed. [Antara]