City told to act in exploring Seribu islands<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The 104 islands grouped in the Seribu (Thousand)
\nIslands in the Java Sea could be a gold mine of revenue for the
\ncity administration should the latter spend time exploring and
\nmonitoring the area, an official said.<\/p>\n
Speaking in a hearing at the city council on Monday with
\ncouncillors from Commission D on public works, environmental and
\ndevelopment affairs, head of the Jakarta Mining Agency Ali Rozi
\nsaid the city earned up to some US$12.18 million (about Rp 103.6
\nbillion under the current currency rate) per annum from Seribu
\nIslands' oil and gas production alone.<\/p>\n
\"The oil and gas are produced by two foreign oil companies,
\nARCO and YPF Maxus at Pabelokan Island, that produced 25,987
\nbarrels of oil and 382,587 cubic meters of gas a day,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In comparison, the ongoing April-December 2000 City Budget is
\nset at Rp 3.39 trillion.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, there are some 4.3 billion cubic meters of quartz
\nsand offshore (common on most of the islands) which have yet to
\nbe explored,\" he told the councillors.<\/p>\n
The meeting, led by the commission's chairman, Sayogo
\nHendrosubroto of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) faction, was also attended by head of City Museum
\nAgency, Robert Silalahi, assistant of North Jakarta Mayor Alisten
\nRadjagukguk and head of the City Program Office D. Rahmat.<\/p>\n
The hearing was aimed at examining and exploring the potential
\nof the islands in accordance with the city administration's plan
\nto upgrade the islands' status from a district to a regency.<\/p>\n
Currently, the Seribu Islands are under the supervision of the
\nNorth Jakarta mayoralty.<\/p>\n
Under its new status, the area would have its own authority
\nand would be held directly under the supervision of the Jakarta
\nAdministration.<\/p>\n
In the past, the vast area consisted of 110 islands.<\/p>\n
Since 1985, six islands have sunk below the surface due to
\nwater abrasion and land dredging used for building construction
\nin Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"And now at least four other islands have been also threatened
\nby the water abrasion,\" said Robert Silalahi.<\/p>\n
The islands -- Onrust, Bidadari, Cipir and Kelor -- have been
\ngradually eroding since 1911.<\/p>\n
Onrust island, for example, has lost almost half of its
\noriginal size -- going from 12 hectares down to seven.<\/p>\n
Its neighbor, Bidadari Island, has shrunk from 85 heactares to
\n6.5 hectares, Robert explained.<\/p>\n
\"The worst thing is that all of the four islands have been
\nhome to many archeological sites that badly need to be maintained
\nand preserved.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the islands are now under serious threat due to
\nerosion,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The Martelo fortress on Onrust Island, for instance, has
\nalready been badly damaged, Robert said.<\/p>\n
According to Robert, many of the islands do not receive
\nadequate care and lack attractions that would lure tourists to
\ntheir destinations and bring in badly need money for conservation
\nefforts.<\/p>\n
\"The conditions on most of the islands are very poor. Tourists
\nare also reluctant to come because they find nothing to do
\nthere,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In order to prevent more sea erosion, the City Museum Agency
\ntogether with the City Public Work Agency has agreed to build
\nconcrete blocks in combination with mangrove trees along the
\ncoast of the affected islands.<\/p>\n
The details of the work plan will be revealed soon.<\/p>\n
Most of the councillors blamed the city administration and
\nNorth Jakarta officials for paying little or no attention to the
\nSeribu Islands, which have been widely known among world-class
\ntravelers as being one of Indonesia's most attractive sites for
\ndiving.<\/p>\n
\"I have even been told that head of the Seribu Islands
\ndistrict seldom stays on the islands,\" said councillor Tjuk
\nSudono from the National Mandate Party.<\/p>\n
The commission chairman then summed up the hearing by calling
\non the city administration to improve tourism development,
\nprivate sector contribution, the development of the mining sector
\nand put forth more effort in monitoring the islands.<\/p>\n
According to Alisten from the North Jakarta mayoralty, 71
\nislands are already managed by private companies for various
\nactivities, mostly involving tourist resorts and golf courses.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, several officials, including head of the Seribu
\nIslands National Park Achmad Abdullah, City Tourism Agency
\nWitjaksono Muwardi and head of archeology section at Jakarta
\nRestoration and Museum Agency Candrain Atahyat, suggested that
\nthe city administration should stop chartering the islands to
\nprivate parties.<\/p>\n
The officials were quoted as saying by Kompas on Tuesday that
\nthe preliminary ownership of the individuals only damaged the
\necosystem in the area.<\/p>\n
At least 37 islands have been developed into tourist and
\nentertainment resorts, it said.<\/p>\n
\"It's been suggested that the islands should not be managed by
\nindividuals. But if it's the only option available, the appointed
\nparties should follow 1994 government regulation number 18 on
\nnatural preserves,\" Achmad said. (09\/bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-told-to-act-in-exploring-seribu-islands-1447893297",
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