City to buy land in Condet

JAKARTA (JP): The city intends to buy land in Condet in the 1998/1999 fiscal year, Deputy Governor for Economic and Development Affairs, TB. M. Rais said Saturday.

He was responding to a plea from the body in charge of native Betawi culture for the city to buy land there. The city ruled in the 1970s that Condet should be reserved for the preservation of Betawi architecture and local fruits. However the areas for both have declined over the years. The fruit preservation area has decreased from three subdistricts to only one, in Balekambang.

Rais said buying land in Condet will be carried out in several phases, given the high cost, Pos Kota reported yesterday.

He did not elaborate but said the fruit preservation area would be prioritized. (anr)