Shipyard found to be unlicensed
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
The Tangerang regency administration recently discovered that a shipyard has been operating illegally since 1995 on the Cisadane River in Tanjung Burung village, Teluk Naga district.
Regent Ismet Iskandar said on Tuesday the shipyard, which produces different models of speedboats, had never obtained the required business permits from the administration.
"The shipyard is illegal. We will ask the owner to obtain the required permits. Otherwise, we will demolish the shipyard and will question several related agencies," he said.
The Jakarta Post took a tour of the area and observed that the shipyard was built on 2,156 square meters of land situated far from residential areas. It is surrounded by a two-meter high wall that blocks the view from the outside.
Village head Masta Sutiawan said he only learned about the work of the shipyard after some of his assistants reported it last week.
He said the land on which the shipyard was located belonged to the regency's public works agency.
An official said the agency rented the land for Rp 60,000 (US$6.59) per month to a man named Elan Yuono, who had said he would plant seasonal crops on the land.
According to Aep Syaifudin, the head of permit supervision and monitoring at the Tangerang Planning and Building Layout Agency, a team from the administration found last week that three companies -- identified as PT Fimbrate, PT Wahana and PT Bina Tafa Perkasa -- were responsible for the operation of the shipyard. The companies produce batteries and speedboats.
No one from the companies were available for comment.
Aep said all related agencies, including the trade and industry agency, public works agency, and spatial and building layout agency, as well as the owners of the three companies, would be summoned to clarify the matter.
Henri Munandar, chairman of Pantura Green Foundation, said some locals feared waste from the shipyard would damage the environment.
"The companies use hazardous chemical substances .... The waste has the potential to cause diseases like those suffered by the people living near Buyat Bay in North Sulawesi," he said.
Achmad Zamroni, the coordinator of the Coalition of Pantura Raya NGOs, which is concerned with development along the northern coast of Java, said that no buildings or industrial activity was allowed along the Cisadane River.
Nasan, 50, a local, said so far there had been no reports of residents suffering from unexplained health problems.
"But if there is no action taken by the administration to stop the shipyard's operation, it is likely to happen someday," he said.