Councillors to summon regent over reclamation

Councillors to summon regent over reclamation

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang

Tangerang regency councillors will summon Regent Ismet Iskandar
and officials from two companies involved in land reclamation
projects near Dadap beach in Kosambi district.

Councillors plan to question the parties over allegations the
reclamation work has severely damaged the environment.

"We did not expect to see that the reclamation work by PT
Koperasi Pasir Putih and PT Parung Harapan had severely damaged
hectares of mangrove forest there," councillor Sys Abdulgani of
Commission D for development affairs said on Saturday after an
official visit to the beach.

He said none of the relevant agencies in the regency
administration claimed to have issued permits for the work. He
called on the administration to halt the work and save what was
left of the mangrove forest.

Councillor Wakiman of Commission A for legal affairs said he
did not believe the reclamation work could proceed without the
necessary permits. He even acknowledged that some officials could
have helped the companies in getting the projects started.

PT Koperasi Pasir Putih plans to build a five-hectare tourist
resort on the reclaimed land, while PT Parung Harapan hopes to
construct an upscale housing estate and a warehouse complex on
another five hectares of land.

The two companies started the reclamation work in 2000 and
have continued their projects despite the fact that they do not
have the required permits from the administration.

Regent Ismet promised earlier that he would put a halt to the
reclamation work and summon the developers. However, after
meeting between the regent and executives from the two companies
the reclamation continued.

Article 38 of Environment Law No. 23/1997 stipulates that
anyone who destroys mangrove forests faces a maximum penalty of
10 years in prison and a fine of Rp 500 million (US$53,191).