Environmentalists to sue regent over reclamation
Multa Fidrus, Tangerang
Environmentalists from the group Public Interest Environmental Lawyers (Piels) will file a lawsuit against Regent Ismet Iskandar over environmental damage caused by reclamation works at Dadap beach, Kosambi district.
Coordinator of the Tangerang chapter of the Indonesian Environmental Activists Alliance (IEAA) Karya Ersada said on Monday that Piels would file suit at Tangerang District Court as soon as they had collected evidence of the damage.
"We sent a team of lawyers to Dadap beach on Sunday to investigate the case. None of the local residents knew anything about the legality of the reclamation," he told The Jakarta Post, adding that Piels had also collected supporting documents from related agencies under the regency administration.
Environmental damage has reportedly occurred over the past two years in Dadap village, due to the reclamation of more than 10 hectares of sea as land by PT Koperasi Pasir Putih and PT Parung Harapan.
PT Koperasi Pasir Putih plans to build a five-hectare tourist resort like Ancol, North Jakarta, on the reclaimed land, while PT Parung Harapan will build an upmarket housing complex and a warehousing compound on another five hectares of the land.
The two companies started reclamation in 2000 and continued to with the work, even though they had yet to obtain the required permits for the projects from the administration.
In response to media reports on the matter, Ismet Iskandar ordered his staff to halt the activities.
However, after officials from the two companies met with him, the reclamation works were allowed to continue.
"I am ready to face the lawsuit," Ismet said.
Ismet explained that he allowed the two companies to continue the reclamation because they had obtained a recommendation from the regency's tourism and spatial and building layout agencies before he was elected as regent last year.
"Moreover, there is no longer any point in halting the reclamation because it is almost finished," he said, adding that he had also ordered the two companies to fulfill any required document and permits for the projects.
According to Ersada, the reclamation works have destroyed existing mangrove forests, coral reefs and maritime life in Dadap. Hundreds of local fishermen have also lost their jobs.
Ersada explained that 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).
The reclamation works, Ersada added, have also violated State Minister of the Environment Decree No. 17/2001, requiring any reclamation work to be supported by a proper environmental impact assessment (Amdal).
"We shall therefore also report the environmental damage to the deputy chief for legal affairs at the Office of the State Minister of the Environment," Ersada said.