The Public Works Ministry is currently reevaluating the spatial planning draft for Buleleng regency in North Bali following the relocation of the planned Buleleng International Airport. The draft, reportedly submitted to the ministry in December 2011, did not specify the precise site of the proposed Buleleng Airport. It remains unclear whether the airport will be developed in Kubutambahan village in the east or in Gerokgak village in the west of the regency.
The development plan previously put Gerokgak forward as the possible site. However, several additional development plans for Celukan Bawang in Gerokgak village, intended warehouse sites and irrigation projects, were not included in the draft plan. Conversely, in late December, Regent Putu Agus Suradnyana confirmed that the site of the new airport would be in Kubutambahan village, around 10 kilometers east of Singaraja, due to technical and geographical reasons.
Concern had been raised that spatial plan project team had not been informed about the ministry’s evaluation. Tjakra said the ministry’s evaluation was delivered to Buleleng Legislative Council in December. “But, we [the administration] only received it in early March,” Tjakra said. “The evaluation’s results will be comprehensively discussed in the next meeting between the regional administration and members of the legislative council,” he added.
Putu Mangku Mertyasa, chairman of the spatial plan committee, said that the changes to the drafts should be in line with a higher level of regulation and must thoroughly abide by the existing traditional and customary laws — including attention to sacred sites. “Buleleng Airport will […] be a massive project affecting a lot of land and many of Buleleng’s residents,” he said. The planned development of the airport sparked controversy among local and national figures.
Initiated by then minister of tourism and culture Jero Wacik, many said that such a big project would cause social, cultural and environmental problems in Buleleng. Despite Suradnyana warning middlemen to stay away from local people living adjacent to the planned site of the airport, there have been reports of numerous people acting as middle men approaching local residents living in Gerokgak village to sell their land at low prices.
Other parties, who think the project could help the regency’s economy, have shown their support. “I don’t want to let the residents feel cheated by these middlemen. I also do not want to see local people acting as observers of the developments, while people from outside Bali enjoy the robust developments,” Suradnyana said. The regent said he received confirmation of the planned airport site after meeting with officials at the public works ministry.
“Kubutambahan village is thought to be the most appropriate site for the new airport given its land structure and its strategic location,” he added. The central government also plans to develop large-scale multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects such as of bridges and toll-roads.
source : bali daily
source : bali daily
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