Mangrove trees cut down, firms summoned
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Three companies have been summoned by a joint investigative team led by the City Agricultural and Forestry Agency over the felling of at least 200 mangrove trees along the Sedyatmo toll road in Kapuk, North Jakarta.
The trees were reportedly cut down to make billboards along the toll road more visible to passing motorists.
"We have sent summonses to three companies as witnesses in this case. They are toll road operator PT Jasa Marga, ad agency PT Rainbow Cipta Utama and PT Mandara Permai, the developer of the advertisement spots," agency head Peni Susanti told The Jakarta Post by phone on Tuesday.
Peni said representatives of the three companies had to appear to answer questions within three days of receiving the summonses.
"My agency will lead the joint team, which also comprises forest rangers, the city police and the North Jakarta Police," she said.
She cited Government Regulation No. 1/2004, which replaced Law No. 41/1999 on forestry, as the legal grounds for the investigation.
The regulation stipulates that the unauthorized felling of trees is illegal. Those found guilty of violating the regulation face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The new regulation carries heavier sanctions than Law No. 41/1999, which carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison or a fine of up to Rp 5 billion (US$588,235).
Aside from mangrove trees, the forestry agency found that other types of trees had also been cut down, including palm trees.
The agency earlier received a report that 102 trees had been felled. But when it conducted a field check, it found that more than 200 had been lost.
"We recorded all of the different types of trees in the forest. That is why we know how many trees were cut down," she said.
She deplored the felling of the mangrove trees, which play a crucial role in preventing seawater intrusion, land abrasion and flooding along the northern coast of the city.
"It is difficult to rehabilitate mangrove forests. We have to plant the seeds in a swampy area. Even if we succeed, each mangrove seed will only grow to a height of 30 centimeters within a year," she said.
The head of the City Environmental Management Agency, Kosasih Wirahadikusumah, said on Tuesday his agency would demand that those parties responsible for cutting down the trees replace them by planting trees in other locations, the administration's official online news source, BeritaJakarta.com, reported.
Earlier, City Park Agency head Sarwo Handhayani said the felling of the mangrove trees had been reported six weeks ago by urban activist Marco Kusumawijaya.
The agency found that additional trees along the Sedyatmo toll road were cut down two weeks ago.