Going, going, gone

Going, going, gone

The Jakarta Municipal Administration (DKI), the Ministry of
Environment, and the Ministry of Tourism, Post and
Telecommunications apparently have no control over Indonesia's
premier National Marine Park in the Thousand Islands.

As of the first week of June, at least 10 local boats were
excavating sand from Pulau Gosong Opak, probably lifting up to
100 tons of sand each and every day. Apart from violating DKI
regulations and creating a navigational hazard, in itself a
violation of Ministry of Transportation's regulation, there are
serious environmental effects.

First, on the environmental front: An island is being removed
from the group. More of the fast diminishing coral is lost, with
associated losses to the overall marine biota of the Thousand
Islands.

Second, this sand is being brought to Pulau Kaliage Besar and
spread over 60 percent of that island to "Pondok Indah-fy" the
already denuded protective ground vegetation. The result of this
latter action reduces the delicate water table by allowing
greater transpiration which, in turn, causes more vegetation loss
because there is less and less fresh water. In turn, this loss of
vegetation permits greater rates of coastal erosion, erosion
which is further accelerated by increasing sea levels worldwide.

Third, bare sterile sand provides no food for either the
already limited range of island bird life, reptiles, land
crustaceans and insects.

Surely the DKI, environmental and tourism authorities are
capable of policing the National Marine Park, which sits on
Jakarta's doorstep. Few cities in the world have such a wonder
nearby. Why not protect it effectively and properly before it is
lost forever?

Name and address

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