Legislators caution city administration on coastal projects<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Ongoing projects in North Jakarta should be
\nadjusted to meet the recommendations of the currently underway
\nregional environment impact study, or stopped temporarily if they
\nare incompatible with it, legislators said.<\/p>\n
Muhammad Buang of Commission X of the House of Representatives
\nfor environment said yesterday this action was needed \"to avoid
\nthe impression that the projects' environment impact studies
\nwould be justified by the regional study.\"<\/p>\n
The study conducted jointly by the city and the Environment
\nImpact Management Body, Bapedal, should be finished by the end of
\nthis year, Budihardjo, head of the city's development planning
\nboard said.<\/p>\n
They were speaking at a meeting between commission members,
\nand city officials on the development along North Jakarta's
\ncoast. This is being carried out in municipality and private
\ndeveloper's reclamation projects.<\/p>\n
Observers and councilors had earlier raised concerns about the
\nenvironmental impact, and flooding potential, of ongoing and
\nplanned reclamation projects.<\/p>\n
Some of the private projects began before a presidential
\ninstruction was issued. The 1995 instruction ruled that a
\nregional environmental impact study on reclamation projects in
\nNorth Jakarta was required, and all later projects would have to
\nfollow its recommendations.<\/p>\n
The firms that were given permits before this instruction was
\nissued were only following the environment impact studies that
\nwere compulsory for individual projects.<\/p>\n
These included a housing and business area project by PT
\nManggala Karya Yudha which is to reclaim 500 hectares of
\nshoreline in East Ancol. The firm is working with state-owned
\nport managing company PT Pelindo II, and the project is due to be
\ncompleted 12 years from now. The firm's president is Siti Hutami
\nE. Adiningsih, President Soeharto's youngest daughter.<\/p>\n
Budihardjo said the other projects that were given permits
\nbefore the 1995 instruction were PT Jaya Ancol, which is
\nreclaiming 40 hectares; Pantai Mutiara, 150 hectares, Pantai
\nGading, 100 hectares and Pantai Hijau, 100 hectares.<\/p>\n
PT Mandira Permai which developed the Pantai Indah Kapuk
\nwaterfront project, had its environment impact study revised, and
\nsubsequently the project, after it caused flooding of the toll
\nroad leading to the Soekarno-Hatta international airport.<\/p>\n
After the meeting, Budihardjo said it would not be possible to
\nstop the ongoing projects which had acquired permits. But they
\ncould be adjusted if necessary.<\/p>\n
He said one of the projects given permits after the 1995
\ninstruction was Anthony Salim's. He is involved in a project to
\nreclaim 4,000 hectares of the Teluk Naga shoreline in Tangerang.<\/p>\n
On April 14, Anthony, the Salim group's vice president, signed
\nan MOU at City Hall on the city's reclamation project. He
\nproposes to reclaim 600 hectares. Only a few other investors,
\nincluding PT Jaya Ancol, have signed similar agreements.<\/p>\n
M. Sidharta, who heads the Implementation Board of the North
\nJakarta Reclamation Project, BP Pantura, said environmental
\nstudies of current projects, and then the projects, would be
\nadjusted to meet the recommendations or guidelines of the
\nregional study.<\/p>\n
Sidharta said investors who entered an agreement for the
\ncity's reclamation project would not violate the agreement.<\/p>\n
The companies first have to ensure their proposals accepted by
\nthe city before they could enter more detailed development
\nagreements with the city, he said. This could be expected at
\nleast six months after an MOU was signed.<\/p>\n
The reclamation project is to increase the residential area,
\nand make it an attractive business and recreational site.
\n(anr\/ste)<\/p>",
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