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)