Mask-wearing commuters wait for the train to arrive at Manggarai Station in Jakarta, Indonesia on August 24. (Photo:Antara) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced on August 30 that it could impose strict sanctions, including mandatory closures, on factories that refuse to install pollution control systems.
The announcement came as the capital city of Jakarta and some big cities in Indonesia are suffering from serious air pollution, affecting people’s health.
“Sanctions are certain and [the industry] could be shut down if they refuse to fix this, if they do not install scrubbers, because the price we pay for our health is very expensive," Widodo was quoted by local media as saying.
According to the President, in addition to closely monitoring industries as well as coal-fired power plants, the government also adopts weather modification technology and work-from-home policy to lessen air pollution. Relevant forces also keep an eye on exhaust systems from vehicles to assess the level of pollution caused by them.
He urged local residents to switch from private transportation to using public transportation.
Earlier, the Indonesian Ministry of Environment imposed administrative sanctions on 11 polluting companies, some firms engaged in the coal reserve and metallurgy industries, and others./.
