Environmental damage

Environmental damage

From Bisnis Indonesia

President Soeharto recently approved a plan for the
reclamation of 2500 hectares of land along the north coast of
Jakarta. According to the Jakarta Administration, the aim of the
reclamation program is to preserve more land in the midst of
continuous economic growth. The government believes that the city
can only expanded northwards.

In fact, the reclamation plan is a result of successful
bargaining and lobbying by a few entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs
say that reclamation is a cheap way to obtain land in Jakarta.

It should be noted that reclamation will inevitably destroy
the coastal habitat. The Pantai Indah Kapuk project, owned by
tycoon Liem Sioe Liong, and the Mutiara Coast project, owned by
Go Ka Him, are still fresh in our minds. They have destroyed the
mangrove forests and caused the flooding of the Sedyatmo toll
road.

Because the reclamation project has not begun, I hope the
government will consider environmental matters carefully in the
interest of the next generation.

ATMA NITISUPRAWIRO

Jakarta