No islands have disappeared since 1992, says mayor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): North Jakarta Mayor Suprawito, denying reports
\nthat Seribu Islands had disappeared recently, said yesterday not
\na single island had disappeared in the last five years.<\/p>\n
But he did acknowledge that four of the 120 islands had
\nvanished before 1992. The mayor was appointed in 1991.<\/p>\n
\"The four islands disappeared due to uncontrolled sand
\nquarrying. That was before 1992. Since 1992 there have been no
\nreports of other islands vanishing,\" Suprawito told
\nreporters at a seminar organized by the city administration and
\nthe International Union of Local Authorities-Asian Pacific
\nSection seminar yesterday, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
The mayor did not name the islands that disappeared before
\n1992, but confirmed one of them had been under the close
\nsupervision of the administration.<\/p>\n
The Republika morning daily had earlier reported that the
\nGusung Laga, Gusung Kapas, and Gusung Karang islands were
\ndisappearing into the sea like the Tidung and Ubi Islands had
\nbefore them.<\/p>\n
According to Antara, Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said when
\nvisiting the islands last year that nine islands had disappeared.<\/p>\n
Surjadi confirmed at that time that uncontrolled sand
\nquarrying, damage to the mangrove forests, the use of explosives
\nfor fishing, the exploitation of the coral reef and the
\ndisappearance of marine life due to pollution had triggered the
\ndisappearance of the islands.<\/p>\n
Suprawito said yesterday the city administration had no
\nauthority to issue permits for sand quarrying in the Seribu
\nIslands. \"It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Mines and
\nEnergy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Amdal<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a senior official at the City's Environmental
\nBureau said in an interview with The Jakarta Post yesterday that
\nhis office was not involved in environmental studies on the
\nislands.<\/p>\n
\"My office has never been invited nor involved in making the
\nenvironmental impact analyses (Amdal) required before sand
\nquarrying activities can be started in the islands,\" said the
\nofficial, who asked for anonymity.<\/p>\n
According to Government Regulation No: 29\/1986, any activities which
\naffect the environment require a prior Amdal from local
\nauthorities.<\/p>\n
\"My office knows nothing about what has happened in the Seribu
\nIslands. The actual problem rests with the Directorate General of
\nGeneral Mining at the Ministry of Mine and Energy,\" the official
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The city administration should not be held responsible for the
\nenvironmental destruction of the islands. The responsibility
\nshould be taken by the central government, he said. (sur\/11)<\/p>",
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