City takes a step closer to enacting its green approach<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The long-awaited bill on establishing the city's
\nRegional Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedalda) was
\npassed by the city council into bylaw yesterday.<\/p>\n
The agency will assist the governor in addressing worsening
\nenvironmental problems in the capital, which is home to about 10
\nmillion people.<\/p>\n
The United Nation's Environment Program has identified Jakarta
\nas the third most polluted city in the world after Mexico City
\nand Bangkok.<\/p>\n
The agency's jobs will include formulating policy on
\npreventing and controlling pollution, coordinating efforts to
\ncurb pollution and managing the environmental impact of
\ndevelopment projects.<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso said the agency was needed to put the city
\nin order.<\/p>\n
"I regret that many people still fail to prepare an
\nenvironmental impact analysis report when they build factories
\nthat have the potential to contaminate the environment.<\/p>\n
"I hope such problems can be reduced once the agency is
\nestablished," he told reporters after attending the council's
\nplenary session<\/p>\n
Council officials said the agency was urgently needed because
\nthe rapid pace of development in Jakarta brought environmental
\nproblems, such as pollution.<\/p>\n
The council's Commission A for administration, security and
\npublic order said one of the agency's most urgent jobs would be
\nto restore the ecological balance that has been disturbed by
\ndevelopment activities in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Commission D for development affairs said the agency should
\ntake swift action to overcome the city's environmental problems,
\nwhich it said had reached an alarming level.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction warned that some
\nongoing projects, such as reclamation of the city's northern
\ncoastal area and the development of business and housing
\ncomplexes, were threatening the ecological balance.<\/p>\n
"We await the future anxiously because citizens are facing the
\nimpact of water and air pollution," faction head Lukman Mokoginta
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The faction blamed the city administration's lack of regard
\nfor environmental issues for the loss of lakes, decreasing water
\ncatchment areas, poor management of waste and constriction of 13
\nrivers throughout the city.<\/p>\n
"The administration must have the courage and honesty to admit
\nthe discrepancies and ignorance," Lukman said. "All the problems
\nshow that the administration's efforts to curb environmental
\nimpact have not been optimal," he said.<\/p>\n
The administration admitted that many companies will begin
\ndoing environmental impact analysis reports only when the project
\nstarts operation, he said.<\/p>\n
"We hope the agency will ensure that all regulations will be
\nreinforced without discrimination. The administration should be
\nbrave enough to reject projects which do not have the
\nenvironmental impact assessments.<\/p>\n
"Those who fail to honor the rules should be taken to court,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Head of the agency Prawoto S. Danoemihardjo told The Jakarta
\nPost that the first environmental project to be executed by his
\nbureau in the near future would be to encourage Jakarta vehicle
\nowners to use gas fuel.<\/p>\n
"We are concentrating on air pollution as well as water
\npollution. For water pollution, we will soon submit a draft law
\non construction of domestic injection wells," he said.<\/p>\n
In the future, every resident who applies for a building
\npermit will be required to build an injection well as one of the
\nenvironmental facilities needed to retain adequate groundwater
\nsupply.<\/p>\n
Prawoto said he realized the bureau's duties would be very
\ndifficult, due to the complexity of the city's environmental
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
"But if we don't start now, then when? This city has been
\nplagued by environmental problems for so long. It is time to take
\naction."<\/p>\n
He said he would also revive the city's regreening campaign
\nand enforce the regulations on environmental management.<\/p>\n
"With this new law, I hope we have a more powerful tool to
\nenforce the existing environmental regulations," he said.
\n(ind\/edt)<\/p>",
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