Firm told to act on Bira Island<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Environment Sarwono
\nKusumaatmadja instructed PT Pulau Seribu Paradise, the developer
\nof a golf course on Bira Island, North Jakarta, to audit the
\nisland's environment.<\/p>\n
An evaluation is badly needed to help repair the damages
\ncaused by the construction of the project. Environmentally, he
\nhas asked them to work to restore the plant and tree life that
\nserve as water catchment and to improve the bio-diversity
\nconditions of the island, the minister said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after opening a training course on
\nEnvironment Management and Monitoring Efforts, Sarwono said that
\nthe company should bear all the expenses needed to finance the
\naudit activities.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto expressed his concern on Friday with the
\ndestruction of the island.<\/p>\n
The President underlined the importance of rejuvenating the
\nenvironment and threatened to prosecute the developer if it
\nrefused to abide by existing regulations.<\/p>\n
The President made the remarks after Minister Sarwono detailed
\nthe poor conditions of Bira Island, mostly the result of razing
\nvast tracts of forest vegetation in 1993 for the golf project.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Deputy Governor of Development Affairs Idroes said
\nyesterday that PT Pulau Seribu Paradise is facing a fine of
\nhundreds of millions of rupiah for building the golf course
\nwithout a building permit.<\/p>\n
"The developer did process the land appropriation permit for
\nthe construction of the project in 1973 and renewed it in 1994,
\nbut not the building permit," Idroes said.<\/p>\n
"Because the golf course does not have a building permit, the
\nfacility cannot be operated, even though its construction was
\ncompleted early last year," he said.<\/p>\n
Bira Island is one of the seven islands in the Seribu Island
\nchain that belongs to the 108,000-hectare national marine park.<\/p>\n
"The environmental impact analysis (Amdal) of the nine hole
\ngolf course on Bira Island is still being processed at the City
\nEnvironment Office," Idroes said.<\/p>\n
An Amdal is a mandatory assessment that must be presented by a
\ndeveloper to ensure that any development will not produce
\nunwanted effects on the surrounding environment.<\/p>\n
Last February, the city administration's commission on
\nenvironmental impact turned down the developer's Bira Island
\nanalysis for the third time.<\/p>\n
According to the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi), the
\nstudy was rejected because it failed to meet the requirements set
\nby the commission.<\/p>\n
The rejected analysis was prepared by a consulting firm that
\nhad been hired by the golf course developers.<\/p>\n
The study, for example, did not satisfactorily answer the
\nAmdal Commission's questions regarding the use of harmful
\npesticides and water usage on the island, Walhi said.(31)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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