City Councilors oppose roads on Pramuka island

City Councilors oppose roads on Pramuka island

JAKARTA (JP): City councilors oppose the administration's plan to build concrete roads on Pramuka island in the Seribu Islands off North Jakarta because the project could damage the environment.

A councilor from the Indonesian Democratic Party, Abdoelhamid Notowidagdo, said Saturday that the Seribu Island district office must have an environmental impact analysis done for the project.

The district office plans to build concrete roads there to improve the road system on the 16-hectare island.

The office plans to make three-wheeled transit vehicles such as the bajaj and bemo, both widely used in the capital, available for transportation for islanders.

Abdoelhamid said the district office should cooperate with other offices in the North Jakarta mayoralty on the environmental study to see if the roads would ruin the environment there," he said.

Environmental impact analyses are required for any project to ensure that the development will not affect the environment.

Most of the North Jakarta area, including the Seribu Islands, lack clean water, therefore any plan which may harm the environment, or affect water catchment must be thoroughly checked, he said.

Abdoelhamid said problems like those encountered in the development of Bira island, also in the Seribu Islands group, must not occur on Pramuka island.

Bira island is owned by individual, who was accused of destroying the island with inappropriate development.

Suspended

Another councilor, Saud Rachman from the United Development Party faction, said that the road project plan must be suspended.

"It is a small island, the residents do not need modern vehicles transport them from one point to another," Saud said.

Syarif, an environmental security officer, said that the concrete roads could decrease the island's ground water stock because as the soil's ability to absorb rainwater will be disrupted.

"Too many trees will have to be cut down to make way for the road and this will harm the ground water supply," he said

Several big trees have already been felled to make way for the road project.

Pramuka Island is said to be the only island in Seribu Islands group which has adequate supplies of clean water. Residents from neighboring islands take ground water from Pramuka Island.

Abdoelhamid said the North Jakarta Mayoralty should stop the project as soon as possible, while it is still in an early phase. (yns)