Regent urged to revoke sand mining permit

Regent urged to revoke sand mining permit

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Responding to the warning of an environmentalist that three
islands in the Banten Gulf could be submerged in the near future,
four factions of Serang Council called on Regent Bunyamin to
revoke private company PT Jetstar's permit for offshore sand
mining.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the
United Development Party (PPP), Madaniah and Maslahat factions
emphasized the negative impact caused by sand mining.

"Bunyamin must consider the fate of local fishermen who could
lose their source of income as a result of the mining," said
Sukidjan Abdul Karim of the PDI-P faction on Saturday.

The sea around the islands is so polluted that farmers can no
longer use it to fill their fishponds. At least 60,000 fishponds
are unproductive as a result.

The factions had repeatedly called on the regent to revoke the
permit, but to no avail.

Director of the Banten Earth Conservation Center, Rahadian,
projected that three islands in the Banten Gulf -- Tarahan,
Pamojan Besar and Pamojan Kecil -- would be submerged in the next
four or five years.

A survey from the center revealed sand mining had seriously
damaged the coastal environment and raised social and economic
problems.

Sand mining also damaged coral reefs and marine life and
altered tidal movements, the survey said.