Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor
In an effort to minimize air pollution, the Bogor administration installed an air quality monitoring device in its office complex Wednesday.
"It will help us monitor and control air pollution and people will be able to find out how bad or good air quality is each day," the head of the Environment and Sanitation Agency, Yus Herdius, said.
The device, which cost Rp 400 million (approximately US$42,500), was purchased by the West Java administration as part of the province's environmental program.
The automatic device works in real time.
Yus said the system reads data according to the Air Pollutant Standard Index (ISPU), which indicates air quality levels at a particular time and location.
"We know that as the population increases and economic development continues, air pollution will worsen.
"Although we have tried to prevent air pollution in many ways, including planting trees and using environmentally friendly fuels, the monitoring device will help us decide on the most effective policies to control air pollution," he said.
He said the administration planned to procure more of the devices, which would be used in areas prone to air pollution and traffic jams.
Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto said the monitoring device could be used to warn residents when air quality was bad in the city.
He said the administration had issued many regulations to reduce air pollution, such as a ban on smoking in certain places and mandatory emissions tests for official cars.
However, he said some of his subordinates had not complied with the regulations.
"As city officials we should set a good example to residents. I will take back official cars if they don't pass emissions testing," he said.
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