Apartment project protested

JAKARTA (JP): About 15 residents of Bendungan Hilir subdistrict in Central Jakarta filed a complaint yesterday with the City Council over PT Sari Lembah Hijau's development of the Park Royale apartment complex.

The residents protested the city administration's decision to issue a permit for the apartment's block plan, which is not in line with city planning.

Rio Tambunan, one of the residents, told members of the City Council's Commission D, which oversees development affairs, that the developers plan a road 12 meters in width, while the city administration had only planned for five meters.

"We are worried that in the future the city administration will recognize and approve the developer's plan and appropriate land about nine meters into our land," said Rio, a former head of the city planing agency.

He explained that according to the developer's plan, the distance from the residents' land to the apartments should be 18 meters while currently it is only nine meters.

Rio said that it is wrong to change city planning to suit the developer's interests. "This is the reality as the city administration tends to adjust city planning to each developer's projects," he said.

The residents who filed the complaint claimed to represent 82 families who live adjacent to the project, which is not due to be completed until 1997.

The developer is building the third tower of the Park Royale luxury apartments on Jl. Gatot Subroto.

Head of the commission Bandjar Marpaung said that the commission has checked the matter with the city administration and found out that the developer has met all the official requirements.

"The developer has all the permits required, including one from the city public works agency to build a fence on the Ciragil river and a land appropriation permit," Bandjar said.

Meanwhile, Rio said that it is important to review the city's decisions. "Is it right to sacrifice us for the interest of a big business," he asked.

The residents have also complained about the air and noise pollution from construction work to the governor as well as the city development supervision agency.

The company noisily carries on construction work 24 hours a day, while the piling work shakes the houses nearby.

The residents are also worried about the possibility of an accident because the arm of the project's giant crane is operating above a residential area.

In addition, since the project began, wells in the area have been drying up and the quality of the water has deteriorated so much so that it can no longer be used.

The residents are also complaining about both the quantity and quality of water supplied by PAM Jaya, the city-owned water company. The developer provided PAM with water to alleviate the effects of the project on the water supply. (yns)