Reclamation project still needs review: Expert

Reclamation project still needs review: Expert

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

An expert from the Agency for the Assessment and Application of
Technology (BPPT) told the Jakarta Waterfront Development Board
(BP Pantura) that despite the latest revisions to its
controversial project for land reclamation along the north coast
of Jakarta, further feasibility studies would be required.

"Improvements have been made to the project given that they
now they plan to build horizontal and vertical canals for
drainage between the natural coastline and the coastline of the
reclaimed land. However, this will not be enough as many
environmental problems remain," said the BPPT's deputy chairman
for information, energy, materials and environmental technology,
Tusy A Adibroto.

BP Pantura should not be focusing solely on the coastal area
but also on the upper courses of the 13 rivers that flow through
Jakarta, and the Thousand Islands area to determine the impact on
flood patterns, pollution and climate change, she said.

"They should also conduct repeated simulations to determine
whether flooding will occur during the reclamation process. The
BPPT will help them do this as we have the technology," said
Tusy.

"If they press ahead with their current plan, logically the
reclamation project will worsen the flooding. But, if they
upgrade the plan, the reclamation work could actually decrease
the possibility of flooding," she added.

BP Pantura showed its latest plan to The Jakarta Post
recently. The company plans to build horizontal and vertical
canals, which they claim will leave the natural coastline
unaffected by the reclamation project.

"We plan to build horizontal canals of at least 200 meters
wide between the original shoreline and the shore of the
reclaimed land. So, it is not true that the rivers will have
difficulties reaching the sea," said the executive chairman of BP
Pantura, Moch. Sidarta.

There are 13 rivers and storm drains that pass through Jakarta
and empty into Jakarta Bay. Often blamed for the flooding Jakarta
experiences every year, they are the Kamal river, Kunjungan
river, Cengkareng Storm Drain, Muara Angke river, Duri Ledeng
river, Opak river, Anak Ciliwung river, Ciliwung river, Ancol
river, Lagoa river, Sunter river, Cakung Storm Drain and Blencong
river.

Sidarta said that the reclamation project was just a small
part of a grand plan which included the revitalization of the
entire 32-kilometer north Jakarta coast from Muara Kamal to the
East Flood Canal, including the rehabilitation of mangrove
forests and fishing villages.

He said that none of the fishermen and their families who
lived in river estuaries and along the shore would be evicted,
and the mangrove forests along the Kapuk shoreline would be
rehabilitated.

"Remember, the current living conditions of the fishermen are
very bad. They live along the river mouth causing the water to
flood surrounding areas, for example, at the mouth of the Cakung
Storm Drain and East Flood Canal. We need to do something about
this," said Sidarta.

"The revenue produced by the reclamation project will be used
to carry out the rehabilitation projects," he added.

The reclamation project will cost a total Rp 10 trillion and
require 330 million cubic meters of sand to produce 2,700 hectare
of reclaimed land. The project also plans to rehabilitate 2,500
hectares of coastline.

Many environmentalists have rejected the project saying that
the plan will not only give rise to more flooding and result in
climate change, but will also lead to the eviction of fishing
communities, clean water shortages and disruption in Jakarta's
electricity supply.

An environmental activist said that BP Pantura's commitment
was meaningless if they failed to include the cost of
environmental damage in the total cost of the project right from
the beginning.

"If we include environmental damage, the total cost will be
very high. I doubt that they will honestly include the entire
cost. The public will eventually find out how BP Pantura treats
the cost and whether they have made a real commitment to
including the cost of environmental damage," said the chairman of
the Environmental Task Force, Ahmad Syafruddin.