Handbook for isle protection
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)