Karangasem beaches suffer from environmental damage<\/p>\n
Luh De Suriyani, Contributor, Karangasem<\/p>\n
The twigs of a coconut tree in front of the small lodge in Candi
\nDasa beach, Karangasem regency, Bali danced violently in the
\nwind.<\/p>\n
The strong wind also whipped up some large waves that smashed
\nthe foundation of the building that directly faces the Bali
\nstrait. A part of the foundation was eroded by seawater, while
\nthe big stones that were piled up as a barrier were smashed into
\npieces.<\/p>\n
Unlike other areas in Sanur, Nusa Dua or Kuta, which have a
\nspacious coastal area, the width of Candi Dasa beach is quite
\nsmall -- just a few meters in places.<\/p>\n
Pamela Haris, 62, who was relaxing in front of the lodge, said
\nthat she had spent a week in Candi Dasa. The tourist from
\nMelbourne, along with her friend, said she did not expect to see
\nsuch a beautiful beach in Candi Dasa. She had made her plans to
\nstay here for the quietness offered.<\/p>\n
However, she was surprised to see the poor condition of Candi
\nDasa beach.<\/p>\n
\"The beach here is a mess. In my country, the government has
\nstrict regulations on the use of the beach,\" she said.
\nCandi Dasa, one of the tourist attractions in Karangasem regency,
\nis located about 80 kilometers east of Denpasar. A large part of
\nthe beach is damaged due to abrasion.<\/p>\n
The edge of the beach is only between one or two meters from
\nthe road in some sections. In order to prevent more damage, the
\nlocal authorities have installed barriers.<\/p>\n
A local environmentalist, I Made Mangku, said that the erosion
\nof the beach in Candi Dasa had really gotten worse since 1987,
\naffecting a five-kilometer area.<\/p>\n
The development of many hotels and other accommodation
\nfacilities to meet the growing demand of tourism has contributed
\ngreatly to the environmental damage as many of the buildings were
\nbuilt too close to the beach.<\/p>\n
Like Candi Dasa beach, the nearby beach in Tulamben, a
\nfavorite diving spot with beautiful fish and coral, also suffers
\nfrom environmental problems. The reason, however, is different.
\nTulamben beach, where the Liberty cargo vessel from the United
\nStates was once wrecked, is dirty due to the silt that is carried
\ndownstream into the sea from the denuded hills.<\/p>\n
Head of the Karangasem tourism and culture agency, Ida Nyoman
\nDjelantik, said that the silt flowed into the beach because there
\nwere now just a few trees upriver as a result of illegal logging
\naround Mount Agung. The deforestation also makes the area prone
\nto flooding.<\/p>\n
The local government is now conducting greenery projects to
\nsave the environment in Tulamben, the busiest diving and
\nsnorkeling spot in the regency.<\/p>\n
The project will cost some Rp 300 million and the money is
\ntaken from the fund from the World Bank allocated for the
\nplanning of Tulamben, according to Djelantik.<\/p>\n
Another problem that threatens coastal areas in Karangasem is
\nthe theft of stones and sections of coral reef.<\/p>\n
Damage to the coastal areas in Karangasem has disturbed the
\nfragile marine ecosystem that attracts tourists. Indeed, there is
\na wide diversity of marine biota, some of which will forever
\nremain a mystery if they become extinct.<\/p>\n
\"Once, a tourist took a picture of a small, unique species of
\nshrimp in Bitung island, Sumatra. Then the photo appeared in a
\nmagazine and visitors flocked to the areas to see it. It turned
\nout that many such shrimps are found of the coast of Karangasem,\"
\nsaid Cipto Adji Gunawan, a divemaster.<\/p>\n
Gunawan, the owner of AIR Diving Academy, said that beaches in
\nKarangasem like those in Tulamben, Kubu and Amed hold on to a
\nmystery in their underwater world. Karangasem, he said, is the
\nbest place in Bali for divers to seek adventure.<\/p>\n
\"It is very easy to reach the water along Karangasem beaches
\nbecause of the good transportation system and infrastructure, as
\nwell as the logistics,\" he said enthusiastically.<\/p>\n
As a tourist attraction, Karangasem knows what the visitors
\nwant, but tourist development activities should not be done
\nwithout considering the costs to the environment.<\/p>",
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