Image: Benoa Bay Project. Credit: twbi.co.id
The Chief of the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission VII, M. Dardiansyah, said that his team will help PT Tirta Wahana Bali International (TWBI) to obtain the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to perform their proposed revitalization of Benoa Bay, south Bali from the Environment and Forestry Ministry. (The EIA is actually part of the Benoa Bay reclamation project. Ed)
“The government is still considering the case because the procedures and regulations have not been resolved yet and the residents still refuse the project. Of course, we will help to facilitate between PT TWBI and the Environment and Forestry Ministry, so they know why the permit has not been issued yet,” said Dardiansyah at a meeting at Pelindo III Office on Benoa, Bali, last Saturday.
While they wait for the permit, Dardiansyah asked the company to approach the community, as is customary of the Balinese culture. “The company must solve the problem with the community. They must approach them, as regulated by the Balinese culture, because the social fabric of the Balinese is strong and still traditional,” he said to tribunnews.com.
He also said that if the problem is solved the government will surely support it. “I hope the company understands the culture of the Balinese community,” he added.
He also stated that the Ministry is still studying the EIA submission from PT TWBI to revitalize Benoa Bay and conserve the mangrove forest (or better said, the Benoa Bay reclamation plan. Ed).
He told reporters that he hoped the Ministry will issue the permit soon.
