Governor seeks help from city's advisory board

Governor seeks help from city's advisory board

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja is calling for
assistance by development experts as the city soars ever upwards
toward the era of "skyscrapers and flyovers."

"The future of Jakarta will be colored with the ever
continuing emergence of skyscrapers, flyovers, and the scarcity
of green areas," the governor said yesterday at the inauguration
ceremony of new members of the BPTB, an advisory board in charge
of giving advice to the municipality on development affairs.

He asked the board to render full assistance to the city
administration in developing the city so that "the existence of
the green zone is proportionate to the developed zone, and
underground water is well preserved."

Around 50 new members of the BPTB (Building Technical Advisory
Body) were installed yesterday for the 1994-1997 period.

Prawoto, an assistant to the provincial secretary in charge of
development and economic affairs, said the body comprises noted
experts from several prominent universities and think-tanks.

The body, ex officio presided over by the chief of the
Municipal Development Surveillance Office, consists of three
sections, including the Architectural Advisory Team, Building
Construction Advisory Team and Building Installation Advisory
Team.

New chief

Muchamad Danisworo from the ITB (Bandung Institute of
Technology) was installed as new chief of the Architectural
Advisory Team, Harianto Sunidja from the UI (University of
Indonesia) as new chief of the Building Construction Advisory
Team, and Sudibyono as new chief of the Building Installation
Advisory Team.

Each team is to hold weekly discussions on cases related to
their expertise and regularly advise the governor.

Prawoto said the body was formed in 1974 because the
municipality at the time lacked technical experts on development
affairs.

"Besides, the municipality wants to always remain objective in
judging and deciding on development cases which draw complaints
from the public," said Prawoto, who also serves as one of the
body's supervisors.

According to him, from 1990 to 1993, the Architectural
Advisory Body managed to handle and solve 2,620 cases.

The Building Construction Advisory Team managed to handle 152
projects of more than eight-story buildings.

The Building Installation Advisory Team managed to handle 94
projects of above eight story buildings.

Governor Surjadi noted that the body faces greater challenges
in the years ahead, following the issuance of a gubernatorial
decree of 1994 on building intensity.

The decree opens the possibility of constructing high-rise
buildings over 32 stories high.

MH Ritonga, the City Council speaker, told the Jakarta Post
that the city council fully supported the formation of the
advisory body.

"Such a body is extremely necessary for Jakarta. Soon after
the ceremony, I told my fellow city councilors that we will hold
many hearings with the body of experts in the future," said
Ritonga. (jsk)