Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq explained that the move is being taken in anticipation of the upcoming dry season, during which boiler operations in industrial estates could worsen air quality.
"Today, we are deploying ministry teams—starting with KBN and later other industrial zones. Each week, we will conduct mapping and provide guidance to help reduce exhaust gas emissions," he said during a working visit to KBN in North Jakarta on Monday.
The ministry will assign 60 officers to monitor air pollution at KBN before moving on to other industrial areas.
Nurofiq expressed hope that this step will support broader efforts to reduce air pollution by targeting pollutant sources in the Greater Jakarta area, though he acknowledged that improvements in air quality may not be immediate.
"We hope (the monitoring process) will be completed within three to four days. This is crucial for identifying contributors to both air and water pollution," he added.
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The ministry is focusing on the Greater Jakarta area, home to 30.2 million people and characterized by high population density. Any decline in environmental quality, therefore, could have a substantial impact.
Direct supervision will continue in the coming weeks to address air pollution, alongside efforts to curb emissions from land and forest fires.
Land fires are being closely monitored in vulnerable areas, particularly in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan.
According to the State of Global Air 2023 report, Indonesia ranks among the world's top 10 countries with the highest exposure to PM2.5 particles, with annual averages exceeding 30 micrograms per cubic meter—well above the World Health Organization (WHO)'s recommended threshold of 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna Violleta, Yashinta Difa
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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