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)