Gas stations defy land use plan, operate in greenbelt
Gas stations defy land use plan, operate in greenbelt
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The city administration's decision to extend permits for 32
gas stations on green areas across the capital has received sharp
criticism.
Former environment minister Sony Keraff said there was no
reason for the city administration to extend the permits as they
violated the zoning set out in the city's land-use plan.
"The administration should have the guts to crack down on
violations of the city's land-use plan, instead of extending
their permits," Sony told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
"The recent floods provided strong evidence that the result of
violations against the city's land-use plan caused misery for a
lot of people," Sony said, referring to the floods in January and
February that affected over 300,000 people.
According to data from the City Parks Agency, there used to be
36 gas stations located on green zones, but four of them have
been demolished. The remaining 32 occupy more than five hectares
of land.
The permits were issued by the city administration between
1949 and 1997.
Most of the permits expired in 1994. A source at City Hall
said the extension of those permits were made in 1999 and would
be valid for 25 years.
City Governor Sutiyoso said on Friday that his administration
extended the permits because the gas stations were popular.
"I could actually demolish all the gas stations that lie on
green areas but I haven't done that because the public still need
them," Sutiyoso said.
One of two gas stations located on Jl. Sudirman belong to
Taufik Kiemas, the husband of President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Sony said Sutiyoso's argument was only an excuse for his
weakness in trying to enforce the law.
"I think the city administration has no courage in upholding
the law. If he (Sutiyoso) really wants to comply with the zoning
requirements as ruled in the city land-use plan, he should
demolish those buildings that violate it, including the gas
stations," he added.
Sony said that without any courage to take tough action,
environmental problems in the city would never been resolved,
including huge floods in the capital that have occurred every
five years.
The gas stations are some of over 350 buildings constructed on
the city's parks, road berms and greenbelts.
The others include dozens of police posts, power relay
stations, kiosks, shops and offices.
The city administration said Jakarta now has 6,000 hectares of
green areas or less than six percent of the total Jakarta
territory, which covers 63,744 hectares.
The city plans to gradually expand the green areas to reach
9,500 hectares or 13.94 percent of the city's area within 10
years.
This is far below the ideal percentage, which is 30 percent,
according to chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian
Forum for the Environment (Walhi) Ahmad Safruddin.