A proposal was reportedly shot down that would move 23 million cubic meters of sand from Lombok to the controversial reclamation project in Benoa Bay, South Bali.
The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) government struck down the proposal on Tuesday, reports the Jakarta Globe.
Governor Zainul Majidi told Antara that the project was a no-go because the disadvantages outweighed the advantages, namely the irreversible environmental damage.
“We want to guard this area so we can pass it on to the next generation. Therefore, we won’t permit anything that can destroy the environmental quality in West Nusa Tenggara,” Zainul said, as quoted by Antara.
Benoa Bay was removed from Bali’s protected conservation zone by a presidential decree under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, making it fair game for developers with deep pockets. Protests though from community members and environmental groups have created road blocks for the project by developer Tirta Wahana Bali Internasional (TWBI) and this rejection for sand sourcing in Lombok won’t exactly speed things up.
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