'Observatory, environment comes first'<\/p>\n
Riva Fadillah, The Jakarta Post, Bandung<\/p>\n
The plan to develop a tourist resort near the Bosscha Observatory
\nin Lembang, West Java violates the Lembang land use plan, experts
\nsay.<\/p>\n
"Except for its capital, no housing complex is allowed to be
\ndeveloped in Lembang, let alone a commercial area," said Denny
\nZulkaedi, the head of land use department of the Bandung
\nInstitute of Technology, on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The Bandung land use plan designates Lembang as a conservation
\nand catchment area, he added.<\/p>\n
"The Bandung administration is supposed to give serious
\nthought to the possible impact on both the environment and the
\nobservatory in connection with its plan to allow the development
\nof a tourism resort there. It must not issue a permit just like
\nthat," Denny said.<\/p>\n
He said the authorities should conduct a thorough examination
\nbefore issuing permits to develop houses or commercial areas in
\nconservation areas.<\/p>\n
"Moreover, the Bosscha observatory has been there for decades.
\nThe administration should give priority to the observatory,"
\nDenny added.<\/p>\n
Separately, an environmental expert from Padjadjaran
\nUniversity Otto Soemarwoto blasted the Bandung administration for
\nallowing the development of a tourist resort in Lembang, saying
\nthat the area has been deforested and may cause natural disasters
\nsuch as flood and landslides.<\/p>\n
"I don't understand them. They never learn from their
\nmistakes. Don't they know that Bandung floods every rainy season
\ndue to the deforestation in Lembang?" he was quoted by Antara as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
The State Minister for the Environment Nabiel Makarim earlier
\nslammed provincial administrations across the country for
\nviolating existing land use plans by issuing a bylaw allowing
\ncommercial projects in conservation areas.<\/p>\n
The Bandung administration recently allowed privately owned PT
\nBaru Adjak to develop 75 hectares of land previously a
\nconservation area located near Bosscha Observatory into a tourist
\nsite.<\/p>\n
Critics have warned that the move would harm the activities of
\nthe observatory and the environment in Lembang and Bandung.<\/p>\n
Lembang is located some 1,300 meters above the sea level or
\n600 meters above Bandung.<\/p>\n
Set up in 1923, the historical Bosscha Observatory is the
\nclosest observatory in the world to the equator. It is unique in
\nits ability to observe the sky to the south of the equator.<\/p>\n
Local authorities have already issued a bylaw banning the
\nconstruction of houses or buildings within a radius of 2.5
\nkilometers of the observatory, fearing that lights from those
\nbuildings would disturb its observation of outer space.<\/p>\n
The ability of the observatory to observe stars has continued
\nto decline. It can only observe stars located some 1,500 light
\nyears away from the Earth while 10 years ago it could still
\nobserve those located some 3,000 light years away.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/observatory-environment-comes-first-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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