Dadap people seek way to halt reclamation

Dadap people seek way to halt reclamation

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

A group of 4,000 Dadap residents in Tangerang, Banten, have
appealed for a second time on Wednesday for the House of
Representatives to halt the ongoing reclamation of the village's
beaches, which they say has detrimentally impacted the
environment.

"Coral reefs, marine life and mangrove forests have been
destroyed because of the reclamation," said the leader of the
group, Gatot Yan. "Hundreds of fishermen have also lost their
jobs."

According to Gatot, the reclamation project is being carried
out by two companies, PT Koperasi Wisata Pasir Putih and PT
Parung Harapan, with the intention of transforming the village's
coastline into tourist resorts, upscale beachfront residential
properties, and warehousing facilities.

Chairman of Banten Environment Watch, Kholod Ismail, said that
because of the reclamation the village now flooded nine days in
every month.

"The water reaches the hips of an adult," said Ismail on
Wednesday, who was also present at Tuesday's hearing with the
House's Commission VII that oversees environmental issues.

Ismail said that the commission had issued a recommendation
that the reclamation be stopped to Tangerang Regent Ismet
Iskandar last month. However, according to Ismail, the
administration allowed the projects to continue.

"We can only rely on the House, because the Tangerang
administration and the regental council cannot be expected to do
anything at all," said Ismail.

Legislator Wati Amir, who chaired the hearing, said that the
regent had told them during last month's meeting that local
residents supported the reclamation.

"But now it seems that was a lie," said Wati Amir, who added
that the commission would visit the site in an effort to find a
solution to the problem before the one-month recess that starts
on March 25.