Handbook for isle protection
JAKARTA (JP): The result of an environmental audit on Bira Island will be used as a handbook to protect the environment of other islands of the Seribu Island chain in North Jakarta.
State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja told reporters on Kelapa Island, North Jakarta, yesterday that the result of the audit is expected to help improve the quality of the environment in Seribu Islands.
"The result will provide necessary actions on how to protect the environment of small islands because up until now we don't have any special guide to do so," Sarwono said after attending a ceremony sponsored by the city administration to commemorate World Environment Day on Kelapa Island.
The ceremony was also attended by Governor Surjadi Soedirdja as well as a number of noted businessmen such as Pontjo Sutowo and Dali Sofari.
In the commemoration the governor and the minister symbolically initiated the reforestation program on Seribu Island by planting mangrove and sukun (breadfruit) trees.
Both officials also released hundreds of turtles at nearby Opak Island.
Sarwono explained that the guide book will list things that can or cannot be done by the owners or residents of the islands.
The audit, Sarwono said, can also provide information for the management of small islands.
Recently, President Soeharto underlined the importance of rejuvenating the environment and called for stern action against PT Pulau Seribu Paradise, the developer constructing the controversial golf course on Bira Island, if it refused to abide by existing regulations.
President Soeharto made the remarks after Minister Sarwono detailed the poor condition of Bira Island, mostly the result of unabated tree felling for the construction of the golf course.
In response to the call, the Environmental Impact Management Agency has called on the management of the company to undergo an environment audit. The company is being asked to finance the audit while the agency will provide qualified consultants to do the audit.
"The audit should be done by qualified consultants because the result will be used as guidance to protect the environment of other islands of the Seribu Island chain," Sarwono said.
He also said that the audit will be based on the environmental Impact Analysis, which still has to be done by the developer.
Last February, the city administration's commission on environment Impact Analysis turned down the developer's Bira Island analysis for the third time.
The analysis is a mandatory assessment that must be presented by developers to ensure that any development will not produce unwanted effects on the surrounding environment.
The analysis result will reveal any environment risk to the island. (yns)