Attorney General demands law enforcement in Puncak

Attorney General demands law enforcement in Puncak

PUNCAK, West Java (JP): Provincial and regional officials
must be tougher to ensure Puncak is preserved as a water
catchment area, according to both State Minister of Environment
Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and Attorney General Singgih.

The two men pledged their support to the provincial and
regional authorities trying to save the hilly Puncak areas from
further destruction during a visit here yesterday.

"Don't hesitate to take stern action against those who commit
violations, including thugs. We will give you our full backing,"
Singgih said. "Efforts must be continuous to avoid the image that
enforcement in Puncak is not effective."

He added he will expect regular reports from lower level
prosecutors on what action will and has been taken against
violators based on the 1982 environmental law.

Sarwono and Singgih visited Cibeureum in Cisarua, Bogor and
Cipanas in Pacet, Cianjur yesterday. Sarwono said the visit was
aimed at "pushing officials to be more courageous, giving them
more encouragement to use their authority where necessary."

In response to whether he perceived that local officials have
been too weak, Sarwono said, "Let's just say that they have had
many difficulties."

Local officials are said to have been powerless against
parties or individuals with high level connections in the sale of
state land, and issuance of permits to build villas and real
estates on arable or productive land.

While denying they are pressurized by powerful, well-connected
developers, the Bogor and Cianjur regents mentioned a lack of
authority and personnel as constraints in the prevention of
illegal construction projects.

The regents, respectively H.M. Eddie Yoso Martadipura and
Harkat H.M. admitted this leads to the costly, slow work in
demolishing villas if owners ignore three warnings.

The visit follows a January order by President Soeharto to
curb development projects in Puncak.

Rampant violations of land and building rules came under the
spotlight after floods hit the city in January and February,
claiming 30 lives.

Environmental damage of Puncak, designated as a water
catchment for Jakarta and its surrounding areas in a 1985
Presidential Decree, was widely blamed for the floods.

Sarwono said necessary action is to target buildings and real
estates without permits, and those whose permits violate spatial
plans.

"The risk is that owners who already have permits will sue
officials through the State Administrative Court," Sarwono said.

"So don't issue permits too easily," he said. "We also hope
that those who should know better, will demolish their own
buildings."

Appreciation

The regents said they greatly appreciated the support shown by
the central government.

"We have not been weak, but we will act more intensively
against violations immediately after this visit," Cianjur regent
Harkat claimed, after showing Sarwono and Singgih an illegal
five-hectare sand evacuation site.

The officials also witnessed the demolition of two villas
built without permits in Cibeureum.

In the past four years only 50 buildings have been demolished,
according to Bogor regency spokesman Denny M. Moechry.

Nine buildings have been torn down since Soeharto's January
statement. The head of the demolition team, Fauzi S., said 100
more may follow.

The regents said they have yet to determine the number of
villas and real estates lacking building permits, and those whose
permits violate spatial plans.

The officials also visited the "Aquila Cipanas" in Pacet,
owned by the Elang Realty property group. Advertised as a future
golf resort, hotel and agrotourism site, activities have been
stopped since January.

Aca Sugandhy of Sarwono's office said the building of tourism
facilities such as a golf course should follow agricultural
development.

Pointing to the leveled, barren hills for the golf course, Aca
said the project clearly poses an ecological and social problem.
(anr)