Councilors upset over Bira golf course project<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City councilors have thrown their weight behind
\nan environmental organization in their concerns of possible
\nenvironmental impacts caused by the development of a golf course
\nin Big Bira island in the Seribu Islands group, North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to the councilors, the city administration should
\nhave checked whether the developer had a feasibility study done
\non the golf course's environmental impact and whether the results
\nwere satisfactory, before it was allowed to develop the project.<\/p>\n
The development of the project, located adjacent to the Pulau
\nSeribu Marine Life Reserve, is reportedly reaching its final
\nstages.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) said last week the
\nproject, the first golf course in the Seribu Islands group, was
\nlacking an environmental feasibility study report and that it was
\ndeveloped without any regard to the environment.<\/p>\n
City councilor Aliwongso Halomoan Sinaga of the City Council's
\nCommission D on development, told The Jakarta Post that he
\nsupports any development activities aimed at promoting tourism in
\nthe Seribu Islands, but underlined the necessity of the companies
\ndeveloping the islands to abide by the rules.<\/p>\n
Sinaga said the completion of an environmental feasibility
\nstudy was compulsory prior to the development of the golf course.<\/p>\n
\"The key to whether the development can be continued or not
\nactually depends on the result of the environmental impact study.
\nIf the result proves that the project is not environmentally
\nfeasible, won't that be absurd?\" Sinaga said. The developer
\nshould suspend development until the findings of a feasibility
\nstudy on environmental impacts are available, according to
\nSinaga.<\/p>\n
Councilor Saud Rachman of the United Development Party (PPP)
\nfaction at the council concurred about the ignorance of the
\nproject concerning marine life safety.<\/p>\n
Rachman added that the size of the golf course might also be
\ntoo small and therefore not of much use.<\/p>\n
According to Soraya, Walhi's program manager for ecosystem
\nmanagement, the golf course was built on a 20 hectare plot of
\nland, four sixths of the total size of the island which is 29
\nhectares.<\/p>\n
But according to PT Pulau Seribu Paradise's director Benny
\nSumampouw's secretary, Ella, the golf course occupies only an
\narea of seven hectares, not 20 hectares as reported by Walhi.<\/p>\n
A Gubernatorial Letter signed by Deputy Governor Tb. M. Rais
\non May 26, a copy of which was obtained by Walhi, stated that a
\nfeasibility study on the environmental impacts of the project was
\nin process. Dodo Sambodo, an officer of the Environmental Impact
\nManagement Board (Bapedal), was quick to confirm Walhi's
\nstatement.<\/p>\n
Proof<\/p>\n
\"This is proof that they (the developer) had been building the
\nproject despite not yet having obtained results of the study
\nyet,\" Soraya said.<\/p>\n
\"Hence, we demand that the development of the project be
\nsuspended and their license to build the course and other related
\ndocuments reviewed,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Should the result of the study affirm the presence of a golf
\ncourse could endanger the marine life reserve, Soraya said that
\nan independent monitoring team must be established so that any
\ndestruction to the marine reserve could be immediately detected.<\/p>\n
City councilor Sugiat from the City Council's commission A on
\nadministrative affairs, who inspected the course four months ago,
\nsaid he was not aware that the study on environmental impact was
\nnot yet finished and invited Walhi to present to him an accurate
\nand scientific account on the impact of the project to the marine
\nlife reserve.<\/p>\n
In reply to the councilor's appeal, Soraya, stressing the
\nimportance of preventive measures, said that environmental
\ndestruction takes a long time to take happen because it is a
\ngradual process. (arf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/councilors-upset-over-bira-golf-course-project-1447893297",
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