Bedugul geothermal project raises controversy<\/p>\n
I Wayan Ananta Wijaya, Contributor, Tabanan<\/p>\n
The island of Bali is blessed with abundant water resources,
\nvegetation, natural resources and beautiful landscapes.<\/p>\n
One of the island's ubiquitous natural assets is the Bedugul
\nforest area located between busy Tabanan in the south and
\nBuleleng regency in the north.<\/p>\n
Surrounded by mountains enriched by three large lakes,
\nBratan, Buyan and Tamblingan, Bedugul has become the island's
\nmajor source of water for irrigation and is considered a \"holy
\nand sacred place\" by most Balinese Hindus as it has given them
\nendless prosperity and abundant harvests.<\/p>\n
The pristine lakeside areas are considered to be the holy
\nplaces of Dewi Danu Bratan, a goddess of agriculture, who is
\nprayed to by farmers around the island. Major Hindu temples,
\nincluding the famous Pura Ulun Danu, have been built in the area
\nto honor the lake deities.<\/p>\n
Up to the present time, People from all over the island still
\nfeel the sanctity of the place. As Bali grows as a tourist
\ndestination, the Bedugul area has become a hot commodity,
\noffering scenic routes and views, and a cool climate as an
\nalternative to the hot, sunny places in the Kuta, Sanur and Nusa
\nDua beach areas.<\/p>\n
For scientists, Bedugul forest is home to rare vegetation
\nindigenous to Bali, including hundreds of wild and cultivated
\norchids, and lush tropical rain forests filled with plant species
\nsuch as stag horn ferns and beds of colorful flowers, all of
\nwhich are now protected by the provincial government.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, all the quietness and beauty will have to be
\ndestroyed to make way for the development of large geothermal
\nelectricity plant, which it is expected will be able to provide
\nelectricity for the entire island of Bali, at present heavily
\ndependent on supplies from Java.<\/p>\n
Controversy has erupted as the plant is to be developed in a
\n\"socioreligious and environmentally\" sensitive area. The
\nconstruction of the geothermal plant within the protected forest
\nhas sparked noisy debate among experts, community leaders and
\ngovernment officials.<\/p>\n
Project pros and cons<\/p>\n
To make way for the project, hundreds or maybe thousands of
\nrare trees will have to be felled, and deep shafts stretching
\nkilometers beneath the ground will have to be sunk in order to
\nallow the heat to come to the surface. Experts believe that
\nBedugul has immense reserves of geothermal energy, adequate to
\nsupply electricity to the entire island.<\/p>\n
Officials at the state-owned electricity firm, PLN, together
\nwith investors, argue that the project will benefit the island
\nand its people. If not built, Bali will likely face serious
\nshortages in its electricity supply by 2007.<\/p>\n
Amid the ongoing debate on whether the Bedugul geothermal
\nplant is necessary and beneficial for the majority of Balinese
\npeople, a study carried out by a team from Udayana University's
\nEnvironmental Research and Study Center revealed the bleak side
\nto the project.<\/p>\n
\"The study found there will be three direct benefits from the
\nproject -- increased employment, economic activity and revenue
\nfor the provincial government,\" said Ketut Mika, the head of the
\nteam.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the study also revealed that the project could
\npossibly cause environmental degradation, including water and air
\npollution, landslides and serious forest destruction that could
\ndestroy habitats, the forest's biodiversity and soil structure.<\/p>\n
In addition, decreases in the lakes' water levels and water
\nflows through the lakes could seriously affect the island's
\nirrigation system as well as its water resources.<\/p>\n
The team found that high levels of hazardous gases, including
\nH2S, CO2 and NH3, have been polluting areas within the Bedugul
\nBotanical Gardens and around Beratan lake.<\/p>\n
Based on a decree of Bali's governor, No. 515 of 2000, the
\nmaximum permissible level of H2S in Bali's air is only 0.02 ppm.
\nCurrently, the H2S levels in the Bedugul Botanical Gardens stands
\nat 0.24 ppm, or 12 times the tolerable level, while air pollution
\nat the Ulun Danu Temple on the shores of Beratan lake has reached
\n0.026 pp., or 1.3 times the permissible level.<\/p>\n
Possible ecological disaster<\/p>\n
In addition to a possible ecological disaster, the development
\nof the Bedugul geothermal plant would have a severe social and
\nreligious impact on the people of Bali as it will be built near a
\nsacred complex.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Environmental Research and Study Center, I
\nWayan Suarna, however, explained that the team's study only dealt
\nwith the facts.<\/p>\n
\"These are our recommendations based on detailed research and
\nstudy into the environmental impacts. It is the responsibility
\nand the authorities in the form of the Environmental Impact
\nCommission to give the green light or to stop the controversial
\nproject,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The team has been actively communicating its findings to local
\ncommunities in the Bedugul area.<\/p>\n
Made Rediasma, a resident of Gesing village, Banjar district,
\nsaid he was very concerned about the future environmental
\ncondition of his village and surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
\"I'm really frightened by the dangers presented by this
\nproject and its potential impact on our lives,\" Rediasma said.<\/p>\n
He said that the majority of Gesing residents had never been
\nfully informed about the harmful effects that could arise from
\nthe project.<\/p>\n
Gde Darmada, head of the Pancasari Village Council, expressed
\nsimilar concerns. Pancasari village is located next to the
\nproposed location of the geothermal plant.<\/p>\n
Pancasari is also known for its fragile soils, and landslides
\nfrequently occur during the rainy season.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that the authorities will pay attention to the
\nwelfare of people living in these areas. Don't build any project
\nthat would harm the people or the environment,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nyoman Sutama, another representative from Jatiluwih village,
\nTabanan, said that the development of the geothermal plant would
\ncause a significant reduction in the water flow through Beratan
\nand Buyan lakes.<\/p>\n
\"The rich and preserved paddy fields of Jatiluwih village,
\nwhich have been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, heavily
\ndepend on the water from the Bedugul lakes,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
Raised eyebrows<\/p>\n
Officials from Bali's forestry agency have also reported that
\nmany people in Tabanan and Buleleng regencies were very concerned
\nabout the geothermal project.<\/p>\n
\"The majority of the people are farmers who need water more
\nthan electricity,\" commented Sumartana.<\/p>\n
A number of academics and environmentalists also questioned
\nthe legal basis for the project.<\/p>\n
According to Nyoman Gelebet from Udayana University's School
\nof Engineering, the construction of the Bedugul power plant had
\nbeen put on hold since the time of the Dutch as it was not
\nfeasible.<\/p>\n
\"I would suggest that the central and provincial governments,
\ninvestors, independent experts, community and religious leaders,
\nand the people who are directly affected sit down together to
\ncomprehensively discuss all aspects of the project,\" Gelebet
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Reports say that the Bali administration has not yet issued
\nthe necessary permits to allow the construction of the project to
\ngo ahead. According to Nyoman Silanawa, the project is being
\ncarried out under an exploration permit issued by the Forestry
\nPlanning Agency on Aug. 10, 2004.<\/p>\n
\"We still have to thoroughly consider and examine the legality
\nof this permit,\" Silanawa said.<\/p>\n
He further said any exploration activity within the protected
\nforest should have a permit from the Ministry of Forestry based
\non the consent of the House of Representative.<\/p>\n
Ni Nyoman Sri Widiyanti, an executive of the Bali chapter of
\nWALHI (Indonesian Forum for the Environment), criticized the
\nprovince's environmental agency, which has allowed the project to
\ncontinue despite the lack of the necessary permits.<\/p>\n
\"I really wonder why Ibu Sudji (Ni Wayan Sudji, director of
\nthe Bali Environmental Agency), is so determined to support the
\nproject,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Sudji, representing the Bali provincial government, became
\nangry at a recent meeting when questioned about the project. \"We
\nwill have to discuss it later. No decision was made at this
\nmeeting,\" Sudji said curtly.<\/p>",
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