Govt to restudy Jatigede dam project

Govt to restudy Jatigede dam project

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

The government said on Friday it would reconsider the revived
plan to build Jatigede dam in Sumedang, West Java, following
protests from local residents and environmental activists.

Minister of Settlements and Regional Infrastructure Soenarno
admitted that the decision to review the project was taken in
response to the opposition against the huge project, which would
entail the relocation of around 7,000 families from Jatigede.

Protesters and other critics say the dam would only add to the
suffering of the local people, as they would lose their farms,
and it could also seriously damage the environment.

"We will restudy it to overcome the lingering problems and by
the end of 2004, we want the decision to be final as to whether
to go ahead with the project or cancel it," Soenarno told
journalists in Bandung, West Java.

The minister said the results of the study would be presented
to the House of Representatives for consideration, although the
current government may be replaced in 2004.

The Jatigede People's Communication Forum (FKRJ), which is
opposed the project, has suggested that the dam be relocated to
the barren area of Beureumbeungeut in Cipasang village, Cibugel
subdistrict, Sumedang.

Soenarno said land compensation and an historical site in the
planned construction area were also issues hampering the project.

FKRJ coordinator Kusnadi Chandrawiguna said the compensation
for communal land, where the dam is to be built, should have been
between Rp 30,000 (US$3.50) and Rp 70,000 per square meter in
1985 based on market prices, but landowners were only paid
between Rp 6,800 and Rp 8,400 per square meter.

This was a direct violation of Agrarian Law No. 5/1960, which
stipulates that land compensation must follow local market
prices, he said.

As for the historical site, Soenarno said the hamlet of
Leuwiloa in Leuwihideung village, Darmaja subdistrict -- which
would be affected by the project -- was the birthplace of the
Tembong Agung kingdom, the founding kingdom of Sumedang.

The minister said that if the plan was to go ahead, the
government had agreed to budget Rp 2.1 trillion for the
construction of the Jatigede dam, which was to have a capacity of
800 million cubic meters of water and expected to irrigate 97,000
hectares of farmland.

"President Megawati has told me that the Jatigede dam is aimed
to sustain the production of agricultural foods, not for
producing power. That's only an added function," he said.

He said there were three options the government could
consider: "First, the project would go ahead. Second, we relocate
it to another area, and third, we build a smaller dam in the same
location."

Soenarno made the statement after a meeting with West Java
Governor Danny Setiawan, who said the people to be evicted from
Jatigede could be relocated to the regencies of Majalengka,
Cirebon and Indramayu.

The environment, agriculture, forestry and fisheries and
maritime affairs ministers, failed to attend the meeting, but
sent their senior aides in their stead.