Explore the construction progress of Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara amid criticism of environmental destruction.
Since the middle of 2022, Indonesia has started construction. “Nusantara (Archipelago)” the new capital of the country After President Joko Widodo declared that the current capital, Jakarta, was too crowded and polluted to handle. including the risk of earthquakes and tends to sink into the sea from higher water levels due to global warming
Nusantara will be twice the size of New York City in the US, with construction currently underway in the jungles of eastern Borneo.
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Officials claim that Nusantara will be a futuristic green city with forests, parks and food production using renewable energy resources. including smart waste management and green buildings. and pledged that this would be “Sustainable Forest City” that puts the environment at the heart of development.
The city’s architecture is inspired by modern urban towers blended with traditional Indonesian architecture. The Presidential Palace is designed in the shape of a Garuda. which is a legendary bird and the national symbol of Indonesia
Indonesia’s Minister of Public Works and Housing Basuki Hadimuljono said that as of February, 14% of the city’s infrastructure has been completed.
About 7,000 construction workers are now clearing, plowing and building the city’s first phase. Today you can see pictures of the workers’ dormitories, the main road and the helipad. The construction of important buildings such as the Presidential Palace It is expected to be completed by August 2024.
The AP news agency visited the Nusantara construction site yesterday (March 8) and saw the newly turned soil. with excavators and cranes around
the government said Construction is underway with environmental considerations. Whether it’s enclosed a fence to protect them from machines. A plant nursery was set up for the process of planting trees that had to be cut down to build the city.
However, shortly after the start of construction The new capital project has come under intense criticism from environmentalists and indigenous peoples. which says that this project is degrading the environment separately The construction disrupts the habitat of endangered animals such as orangutans. and displaces indigenous peoples.
Environmentalists warned that Building new megacities will accelerate deforestation. and also affects many wildlife species
Dwi Savung, an infrastructure expert at the Indonesia Forum for Living Environment, an environmental organization that monitors the new capital project, said the government’s plans lack consideration of the region’s key wildlife such as orangutans and bears. because the new town had cut through the path of wild beasts
“These animals should be moved first. then build the building But due to the need to hurry to build So they built the space without moving the animals first,” he said.
Additionally, indigenous groups living in the region who have lost some of their land are fearing that The expansion of the new capital could make things even worse.
Officials pledged that It will respect the rights of Indigenous peoples and compensate those who have lost their homes. local officials said They will verify all land claims and accept any documentary evidence showing ownership.
But most areas of Indigenous people are often passed down through families without documentation. And not all indigenous areas are officially recognized. It may therefore be possible that A number of Indigenous peoples will permanently lose their homes without compensation.
Sibukdin, an indigenous community leader, said: “We don’t want to relocate. We don’t want them to move our ancestors’ graves. or change or delete our historical sites.”
Bambang Susantono, head of Nusantara’s National Capital Organization, said indigenous peoples had two options. namely compensation and immigration or be compensated with a share of ownership of stores to be opened in the city
“We will always convince them and tell them about the future of the city. Hopefully they will understand that this is for everyone,” he said.
The government plans to open the first portion of the new capital on Aug. 17, 2024, to coincide with Indonesia’s Independence Day.
“Nusantara is the city of tomorrow. It will become a lively city. Not just a government city,” Susan Tono said.
compiled from AP News
Image courtesy of AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim.