Illegal kiosks, stalls destroyed

Illegal kiosks, stalls destroyed

JAKARTA (JP): The Bogor administration has continued to demolish buildings and stalls erected without official permits, including makeshift kiosks.

At least 10 kiosks erected along Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan and around the Merdeka bus terminal were pulled down by officials from the city public order office yesterday, Antara reported.

Bogor Mayor Eddy Gunardi announced that his office would continue to pull down any permanent or semi permanent buildings, including stalls and kiosks built without the necessary building permits.

"I will never give a reprieve to anyone found guilty of erecting buildings without building permits issued by the city administration," Antara quoted the mayor as saying.

Robin, an owner of one of the kiosks pulled down, admitted to having erected his kiosk without a building permit.

"I fully realize that I'm wrong, but I hope the mayor could provide a new place where I and fellow traders whose stalls were demolished can set up new kiosks to sell our merchandise," he said.

The mayor strongly denied allegations that officials from the city public order office had acted arbitrarily in demolishing the buildings.

"The allegations are groundless," he said, adding that he was ready to face any lawsuit filed by any of the owners of the demolished buildings.

"I challenge people who are against the move to file lawsuits against me. I'm not afraid," Eddy said, when asked if he was undeterred by rumors that "certain powerful people" back the owners of several buildings and kiosks.

The mayor defended his subordinates who tore down the illegal buildings and kiosks, saying that they had carefully collected facts and evidence before deciding to pull down those buildings.

"I'm pretty sure that the officials have carefully and politely asked the building owners whether or not they have building permits."(bas)