30 skyscrapers lack green standards

JAKARTA (JP): About 30 of Jakarta's 300 high rise buildings were never the subject of an environmental impact study, an official disclosed yesterday.

These studies ensure that buildings are environmentally friendly, the head of the city's environment bureau, Aboejoewono Aboeprajitno, said in a seminar on environmental management at Sahid Jaya Hotel.

"Buildings must be developed as part of their surroundings, they should be safe and the impact that they have on their surroundings should be transparent and predictable," he said.

Many buildings developed without environmental impact studies became troublesome at a later date, he said, citing fatal accidents involving construction workers as examples.

When accidents occur, the administration is blamed, he said.

"My bureau has been accused of failing to control contractors.

"If the contractors had some environmental awareness in the first place, there would not have been any problem."

Environmental impact studies call for measures to control the effects a building will have either during or after construction. The studies examine the "dewatering" impact, ground water quality, workers' safety and welfare, traffic, noise pollution, air quality and sanitary and solid waste disposal.

Aboejoewono said there have been problems in the monitoring and administering of studies.

"One problem is the shortage of field officers who could routinely monitor the rapid development of Jakarta," he said. "Another is the leniency of sanctions for contractors who fail to meet the requirements."

Deputy Governor for Economy and Development TB. M. Rais told the seminar that the city has repeatedly called on building contractors to preserve the environment.

He said all contractors and factory owners are required to install waste treatment plants by law but some companies have failed to heed the rules and even failed to conduct environmental impact studies.

This should be stopped, he said. (07)