Stop building any more villas in Puncak: VP
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Vice President Hamzah Haz called on the West Java provincial administration to stop the development of luxurious villas in Bogor, Puncak and Cianjur (Bopunjur) which have been partly blamed for the devastating Jakarta floods.
"The West Java provincial administration must stop the development because it is against the spatial zone ruling," Hamzah said after attending a service at the Al Falah Mosque in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta on Friday.
The West Java provincial administration has said that the capital had never thanked it for supplying water from the Ciliwung river and a mountain resort enjoyed by thousands of Jakartans every week.
The administration is considering imposing levies on the water and charging Jakartans for picnicking in the area.
The vice president's call came too late as the development of upmarket villas in the mountainous resort areas have mushroomed prior to the floods that wreaked havoc and claimed many lives in Jakarta.
Hamzah blamed the provincial administration because it had issued permits to convert forested areas into housing compounds, an action that was against the spatial zone rules.
According to the rules, the area must be preserved as conservation forests that should function as a catchment area to avoid lowland flooding, including in Jakarta.
"The urgent thing is that the West Java administration must return the mountainous resort to its original function as is stipulated by the spatial zone ruling," he said.
Violations of the rules has gone on since the rule of former dictator Soeharto with thousands of villas and restaurants being built in the area.
On Thursday, East Java Governor R. Nuriana rejected criticism his administration must be held responsible.
He said a portion of development permits were issued by Jakarta and most of the villas were owned by Jakarta's elite, including government officials.
Nevertheless, he said, he was ready to talk with Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso and Banten Governor Djoko Munandar to discuss the flooding.
West Java administration spokesman Muadz lambasted the central government and the Jakarta administration which he said was unfairly blaming it for the floods.
It was unfair to attack West Java as the province had made major contributions to Jakarta, he said.
"Jakarta has never thanked West Java, not for the flooding, but for water supply from the Ciliwung River and the beautiful mountainous resort thousands of Jakartans enjoy every week," he said.
He said his administration was considering imposing levies on the water supply and on all Jakartans picnicking in the mountainous resort.