Developers ignore environmental considerations

Developers ignore environmental considerations

DEPOK, West Java (JP): Housing developers do not place
environmental considerations at the top of their list of
priorities, says president of the Indonesian Real Estate
Association Edwin Kawilarang.

"The concept of sustainable development is not yet suitable
for Indonesia," he told reporters during a break in a seminar on
the sustainability of urban and regional development yesterday at
the campus of University of Indonesia here.

"Sustainable development is not on our list of priorities. The
concept is for developed countries. We are a developing country
that is still struggling to meet basic needs," Kawilarang said.

"Yes, the concept of sustainable development is needed, but in
reality, it's not on our people's list of priorities," he added.

He pointed out that the public rarely considers whether a
house they wish to buy or build degrades the environment. "Their
first and foremost question is: Is it cheap enough?" he said.

The seminar was opened by Minister of Public Housing Akbar
Tanjung at the Center for Sustainable Urban and Regional
Development (CSURD), an organization founded by the University of
Indonesia's Institute of Technology in cooperation with the
University of Melbourne and the Commonwealth Scientific
Industrial Research Organization.

In his speech, Tanjung urged real estate developers to "be
more responsible and heed the results of environmental impact
assessments" in their building activities.

"Developers must never ignore the assessments for the sake of
profit," Tanjung said. He added that the government has issued
numerous regulations on housing development.

"The 1993 Broad Guidelines of State Policies instructed that
development should be undertaken to improve people's prosperity
and sustain the 'noble values of the nation'," he said. "Housing
development should always be done in ways which sustain the
environment."

In his speech, the minister also declared that 30% of the 190
million Indonesians live in urban areas and that the country
still needs more than 2 million housing units.

Tanjung also called on the public to tackle developers over
whether the houses they wish to buy are built in an
environmentally responsible manner. "It the housing development
affects the environment adversely, don't buy it," he said.

The minister's statements were backed by Ismeth Abidin from
the CSURD.

"Indonesia is in a rapid transformation. Around 40 of its
cities will develop into trade centers," said Ismeth, who is a
lecturer at the university's School of Engineering.

"Sustainable development is what we need to safeguard the
future of the future generations from the adverse impacts of that
transformation," said Ismeth.

The two-day seminar will also feature former environment
minister Emil Salim and a number of speakers from Australia. (06)