Developers accused of causing floods

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 04/23/2007 3:12 PM  |  Jakarta

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

A lack of control from the administration has allegedly resulted in several housing developers in Tangerang deviating from site plans approved by the Tangerang regental administration.

""I think it is time for the administration to thoroughly evaluate site plans proposed by developers,"" Dadi Setiawan, a resident of Jombang subdistrict told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Dadi said that the rapid pace of housing and business complex developments in the neighboring Bintaro area had caused concern among local residents due to the fact they are confronted with flooding every time it rains.

He said two rivers that used to flow through the Jombang subdistrict were reclaimed to pave the way for development in early 2005.

""Residents have evidence that proves both PT Jaya Real Property and PT Laguna Real Estate, the developers of the Puri Bintaro housing complex, must be held responsible for the reclamation of the Mati and the Cilalung rivers.""

In response to complaints from Jombang residents concerning the rivers, regent Ismet Iskandar promised to question the two developers.

""If they are proven guilty of having breached their site plans, we will take stern measures against them,"" he told the Post.

Ismet also said he would order the regency's public works department to recheck the site plans and any permits the administration has issued for housing and business center developments to the developers.

Yulianto, head of the water resources division in the department, said that housing developers are given technical recommendations on the relocation or restructuring of rivers based on the results of feasibility studies approved by the administration.

Yulianto said the department would question the developers Monday over the alleged violations of the technical recommendations.

According to Yulianto, the 2004 Irrigation and Water Resources Law stipulates that the regional administration can punish developers responsible for restructuring that causes flooding, even if the restructuring is based on the administration's technical recommendations.

Meanwhile, the development project head of Jaya Real Property, Thomas, said studies on small rivers in Jombang had been conducted long before the development projects commenced.

""If flooding inundates areas of the river downstream, it is caused by heavy downpours,"" he said.

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