Reclamation project study 'still in process'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the North Jakarta Reclamation
\nProject board said yesterday he had not been informed of the
\nrejection of any of the project's regional environmental impact
\nstudies.<\/p>\n
M. Sidharta, was responding to yesterday's report in the
\nBisnis Indonesia daily that the Environmental Impact Management
\nAgency, Bapedal, had rejected the project's initial regional
\nenvironmental impact study.<\/p>\n
"We don't know about the rejection. We haven't finished the
\nwhole study yet," Sidharta said. As far as he was aware the
\noutline study had been approved.<\/p>\n
He said the final regional environmental impact study was
\nscheduled to be completed by the end of this year.<\/p>\n
The newspaper quoted Bapedal's deputy chairman in charge of
\nenvironmental impact studies, P.L. Coutrier, as saying the study
\nhad to be rejected because it did not meet the necessary
\ntechnical requirements.<\/p>\n
A regional environmental impact study for the 2,700-hectare
\nproject in the Jakarta Bay was made compulsory in a 1995
\npresidential instruction. It stated the municipality had sole
\nresponsibility for the project, which is estimated to be
\ncompleted in 2010.<\/p>\n
Coutrier added Bapedal's repeated suggestions that the
\nmunicipality hire a professional consultant to undertake the
\nenvironmental impact study had been ignored.<\/p>\n
Sidharta said the board had consulted experts but did not name
\nanyone.<\/p>\n
"We consulted Bapedal and the Bandung-based Institute of
\nTechnology to find a long-term consultant. But we haven't
\nappointed a professional consultant," Sidharta said.<\/p>\n
The city's project, which consists of building residential and
\nbusiness properties, and recreational and tourist attractions, is
\nto stretch 32 kilometers along the Jakarta Bay, from Pluit in the
\nwest to Cilincing in the east.<\/p>\n
Observers, legislators and councilors have raised concerns
\nover the environmental impact and flooding potential, of ongoing
\nand planned reclamation projects.<\/p>\n
At least six separate projects had begun before the 1995
\npresidential instruction was issued, when only individual studies
\nwere compulsory for each project.<\/p>\n
The developers were given permits to begin work in line with
\ntheir respective environmental impact studies. They now have to
\nmeet the regional environmental impact requirements.<\/p>\n
The companies included PT Mandira Permai, which developed the
\nPantai Indah Kapuk waterfront project. The company had to revise
\nits environment impact study after it was blamed for the flooding
\nof the toll road leading to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.<\/p>\n
One proposed project which must comply with the regional
\nenvironment study for the reclamation plan, was submitted by
\nAnthony Salim. The vice president of the Salim business group
\nsigned a memorandum of understanding at City Hall last month to
\nreclaim 600 hectares for a mixed development project. (ste)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/reclamation-project-study-still-in-process-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}