The logpond construction activity on Polimo Beach, Silabu Village, North Pagai District, Mentawai Islands Regency is suspected to be illegal.
Padang, sumbarsatu.com—The Coalition to Save the Future of Mentawai Forests suspects the construction of a logpond on Polimo Beach, Silabu Village, North Pagai District, Mentawai Islands Regency. The coalition suspects that this logpond came from the Mentawai Essential Oil Cooperative. It is feared that the logpond activity will damage the coral reef ecosystem at Polimo Mentawai Beach.
In order not to further damage the coral reef ecosystem, the Mentawai Future Forest Rescue Coalition reported this activity to 3 related institutions, Tuesday (15/2/2022). These three institutions are the Direskrimsus Polda West Sumatra, the Environment Service and the Marine and Fisheries Service of West Sumatra Province.
"Today Tuesday (15/2/2022) we reported the illegal activity of logpond at Polimo Beach to the West Sumatra Regional Police, and also to the Environment Service and the Marine and Fisheries Service of West Sumatra Province. We ask the West Sumatra Police to investigate and two related agencies to go to the field. We suspect that this logpond (timber piling) activity is illegal," said Tommy Adam of the Mentawai Future Forest Rescue Coalition to sumbarsatu, Tuesday (15/2/2022).
According to Tommy Adam, who is also the Head of the West Sumatra Walhi Research, Advocacy and Campaign Department, it is suspected that the logpond construction activity has sufficient permits. Although the Mentawai Essential Oil Cooperative has denied the claim that a permit has been issued, there has been no official evidence and/or confirmation from the relevant parties regarding the veracity of the permit for the logpond construction activity.
"All parties are obliged to maintain the function of the coral reef ecosystem. Damage to coral reefs causes the loss of productive food warehouses for fisheries, spawning grounds, laying eggs, and finding food for various marine biota that have high economic value. Coral reefs also act as breakwaters and protect beaches from storms," he said.
He said, destroying coral reefs is a criminal act, which is explained in Law No. 1 of 2014 concerning the management of coastal areas and small islands, last amended by Law No. 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation) which is punishable by 2 years in prison and a maximum of 2 years imprisonment. 10 years and a minimum fine of 2 billion rupiah and a maximum of 10 billion rupiah.
Meanwhile, Uslaini, a coalition representative and also the Director of the West Sumatra Forum for the Environment, regretted the company's use of coral reefs as road construction materials, especially when the process of extracting corals using heavy equipment will inevitably cause damage to coral reefs and the Palimo coastal ecosystem.
"There is no supervision from the local government so that destructive activities on the Palimo beach also need to be paid attention to by the West Sumatra provincial government and law enforcement," he explained.
For this reason, the Mentawai Future Forest Rescue Coalition urges the West Sumatra Regional Police, the Environment Service, and the West Sumatra Province Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Service to ask for legal accountability for the alleged destruction of coral reefs on Polimo Beach, Silabu Village, with their coordinates.
"We urge the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Service to provide information or clarify the status of the permit for the construction of the logpond on Polimo Beach and urge the Environment Service to conduct field inspections and inspections of the logpond construction," said Uslaini. SSC/MN
