No One Knows What Goes on Behind Closed Walls

(10/26/2007)

Bali’s Governor Drs. Dewa Made Beratha has called for a stop to illegal and unplanned development in the areas surrounding Kintamani's volcanic lake district.

Dismayed at the rapid growth of restaurants, shops and accommodation providers around the crater-lake's edge, the Governor warned, "if this (unplanned and illegal building) is not stopped, don’t hope for tourists to continue visiting Kintamani."

Beratha also warned that if businesses are allowed to continue to build structures and concrete walls the scenic views of nature and Lake Batur will be lost. "if visitors can no longer see nature's beauty, what's left for them to do at Kintamani?"" the Governor asked.

Governor Beratha told BisnisBali that many of the building dotting the roadside at Kintamani were illegally constructed. Calling for a halt on future illegal construction which is destroying Kintamani's natural beauty, Beratha said that Bali was in danger of losing one of the world's truly unique tourism objects.

When asked by reporters if his office had plans to introduce enforcement measures against the owners of unlicensed buildings at Kintamani, the Governor said it was the right and responsibility of the Regional government of Bangli to take knock down the illegal structures.

When contacted by BisnisBali, regional government official in Bangli said enforcement measures were difficult to coordinate with the Provincial Government with no one able to even agree on an acceptable deadline for the removal of the unlicensed buildings. Because of economic considerations, many of the illegal buildings at Kintamani have been given 10-15 year deadlines to operate before facing a final removal deadline.