Reclamation work in limbo<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
Three companies involved in the reclamation of Tangerang's
\nnorthern coastline have complained over the House of
\nRepresentatives' recommendation the project be halted.<\/p>\n
\"If the Tangerang regental administration revokes our permit
\nto reclaim the area and stops the project, it means the
\ngovernment has failed to provide investors with legal certainty,\"
\nJhoni Ramly, spokesman of Wisata Pasir Putih Kosambi Cooperative,
\nsaid on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Jhoni said that all three of the developers -- including the
\ncooperative, PT Kosambi Harapan Utama and PT Parung Harapan --
\nshould be given the green light as the reclamation of the
\n20-hectare stretch of coastline, near Dadap village in Kosambi
\ndistrict, would attract investors to the area.<\/p>\n
The coastline would be developed as a resort area with hotels,
\nrestaurants, apartments and sports facilities.<\/p>\n
Fishermen and environmentalists have been against the
\nreclamation project since its beginning two years ago, staging
\nfrequent protests. House Commission VII for the environment
\nresponded to the protests last Monday by holding a hearing with
\nTangerang officials.<\/p>\n
Commission deputy chairman Sonny Keraf -- formerly state
\nminister of the environment -- recommended that regent Ismet
\nIskandar put a stop to reclamation activities until the
\ndevelopers could guarantee the environment would not be harmed.<\/p>\n
However, the regent said on Thursday he had not taken steps to
\nhalt the project, arguing that the developers had obtained the
\nrequired permits and environmental impact analyses after he
\nsuspended the project in July last year.<\/p>\n
\"First, I should meet with the three developers and then hold
\na public hearing that involves the councillors and religious
\nfigures,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, Lawyers for the Environment group (Piels) has
\nthreatened to sue the regent for environmental damage
\nresulting from the development.<\/p>\n
Coordinator of the Indonesian Environmental Activists Alliance
\n(IEAA) in Tangerang, Karya Ersada, who is working on the case,
\nsaid on Thursday that the suit would be filed with the Tangerang
\nDistrict Court should the regent refuse to halt the project.<\/p>\n
\"Our team of lawyers have met with Dadap residents, who said
\nthey didn't know anything about the legality of the reclamation,\"
\nhe told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said that the reclamation work had destroyed mangrove
\nforests, coral reefs and marine life in Dadap. Hundreds of local
\nfishermen have also lost their jobs.<\/p>\n
Ersada said the developers may have violated Article 38 of Law
\nNo. 23\/1997 on the environment, which stipulates that a party
\nfound guilty of destroying a mangrove forest could face a maximum
\npenalty of 10 years' imprisonment or a Rp 500 million (US$53,191)
\nfine, as well as Ministerial Decree No. 17\/2001 that requires any
\nreclamation work to be supported by an environmental impact
\nanalysis.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/reclamation-work-in-limbo-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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