No islands have disappeared since 1992, says mayor

JAKARTA (JP): North Jakarta Mayor Suprawito, denying reports that Seribu Islands had disappeared recently, said yesterday not a single island had disappeared in the last five years.

But he did acknowledge that four of the 120 islands had vanished before 1992. The mayor was appointed in 1991.

"The four islands disappeared due to uncontrolled sand quarrying. That was before 1992. Since 1992 there have been no reports of other islands vanishing," Suprawito told reporters at a seminar organized by the city administration and the International Union of Local Authorities-Asian Pacific Section seminar yesterday, Antara reported.

The mayor did not name the islands that disappeared before 1992, but confirmed one of them had been under the close supervision of the administration.

The Republika morning daily had earlier reported that the Gusung Laga, Gusung Kapas, and Gusung Karang islands were disappearing into the sea like the Tidung and Ubi Islands had before them.

According to Antara, Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said when visiting the islands last year that nine islands had disappeared.

Surjadi confirmed at that time that uncontrolled sand quarrying, damage to the mangrove forests, the use of explosives for fishing, the exploitation of the coral reef and the disappearance of marine life due to pollution had triggered the disappearance of the islands.

Suprawito said yesterday the city administration had no authority to issue permits for sand quarrying in the Seribu Islands. "It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Mines and Energy," he said.

Amdal

Meanwhile, a senior official at the City's Environmental Bureau said in an interview with The Jakarta Post yesterday that his office was not involved in environmental studies on the islands.

"My office has never been invited nor involved in making the environmental impact analyses (Amdal) required before sand quarrying activities can be started in the islands," said the official, who asked for anonymity.

According to Government Regulation No: 29/1986, any activities which affect the environment require a prior Amdal from local authorities.

"My office knows nothing about what has happened in the Seribu Islands. The actual problem rests with the Directorate General of General Mining at the Ministry of Mine and Energy," the official said.

The city administration should not be held responsible for the environmental destruction of the islands. The responsibility should be taken by the central government, he said. (sur/11)