On environment and city planning<\/p>\n
The permit for Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) -- a luxury housing
\nestate in Hutan Angke Kapuk, West Jakarta -- is going to be
\nreviewed by an independent panel, which will be soon be formed by
\nthe Jakarta Governor, Sutiyoso. The team will investigate how far
\nthe PIK developer has violated its building permit.<\/p>\n
The 1,144 hectare mangrove forest in the area, before it was
\ntransformed into a housing estate, golf course and recreational
\nfacilities, used to intercept around 9 million cubic metres of
\nwater. But today the area no longer functions as a filter for the
\nintrusion of sea water or as a stabilizer during high tide or
\nfloods.<\/p>\n
Instead of the 175-hectare area, that the housing permit was
\noriginally issued for in 1982, the area has now swollen to 543.69
\nhectares, while the area allotted for recreational and sports
\nfacilities has also increased from 60 hectares to 72.05 hectares,
\nnot including the 96.89-hectare golf course.<\/p>\n
The protected mangrove swamp has shrunk from 100 hectares to
\n49.25 hectares, while the nature reserve has decreased from 65
\nhectares to 21.45 hectares and the 115-hectare supporting forest
\nis nonexistent.<\/p>\n
If the PIK developer has committed any violation, then it will
\nserve as an example of how we have treated the environment, city
\nplanning and conservation.<\/p>\n
The Minister for Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure has
\ninitiated a prudent measure by halting all housing construction
\nprojects in Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi for a six month
\nperiod.<\/p>\n
As a sanction, this revocation of a building permit is
\ncertainly appropriate. Yet, the most important thing is to
\nrestore the function of the natural environment. Demolishing all
\nbuildings is obviously unrealistic, except for a golf course
\nwhose function is easy to restore to that of a catchment area.<\/p>\n
A reasonable option -- except for revoking the permits of
\nreal estates and golf courses -- is to oblige all developers to
\nbuild flood control facilities such as dikes and water channels.<\/p>\n
-- Republika, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-environment-and-city-planning-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }