Reclamation needs Amdal

Reclamation needs Amdal

JAKARTA (JP): The government will continue to monitor the environmental impact analysis (Amdal) being conducted in relation to the planned reclamation project along the northern coast, an official said. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2010.

Pl Coutrier, from the Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) said yesterday that analysis regarding the reclamation process will take a long time to complete and should be closely and regularly monitored, Antara reported.

Coutrier said improving living conditions in Jakarta would not be affordable without the reclamation project.

"We hope that people will respond positively to the project, which is indispensable because environmental damage is hard to repair," he said.

Coutrier said the project would serve as a "test case" for Indonesian engineers working on it. "This will give them (Indonesian engineers) valuable education and experience, since they will be able to learn a lot from their foreign counterparts, who will be hired by the government to supervise the gigantic project." (bas)