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.