Shipyard found to be unlicensed

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.