NTB Police Call Drilling In Gili Trawangan Illegal, Give PT TCN The Opportunity To Fix Permit Documents

NTB Police Chief Inspector General Pol. Raden Umar Faroq. (ANTARA/Dhimas B.P.)

The NTB Regional Police provided an opportunity for PT Tiara Citra Nirwana (TCN) to repair permit documents for sea water distillation pipeline drilling activities in Gili Trawangan waters. "So, PT TCN is not an illegal business that drills in Gili Trawangan. However, the drilling is not in place according to the previous permit. Now, we are giving them (PT TCN) the opportunity to complete the licensing administration," said NTB Police Chief Inspector General Umar Faroq in Mataram, Antara, Thursday, July 25. According to Umar, his party took such legal steps at the stage of investigating the report on the alleged destruction of the marine ecosystem. "What impact is the ecosystem destruction? If it is closed by PT TCN, what will the loss be? So, we consider that, we will continue to follow the laws and regulations," he said. Regarding the silt deposit originating from PT TCN's pipe drilling activity in Gili Trawangan waters of one meter thick with an area of 1,660 square meters, the NTB Police Chief assessed that this could still be handled appropriately. "The name is drilling, of course there is land lifted from the surface, so it makes it dirty. For cleaning it (the mud deposition) can be done," he said. The NTB Police are handling the case of PT TCN regarding the destruction of the marine ecosystem in Gili Trawangan waters due to silts covering coral reefs based on reports from the community group of North Lombok Regency. Apart from the NTB Regional Police, the issue of silting has also received attention from the Kupang National Water Conservation Area Center (BKKPN) and the Supervision of Marine and Fisheries Resources (PSDKP) Benoa.

BKKPN together with PSDKP have conducted investigations and conducted tests on the quality of sea water and silt. The results of the investigation are now just waiting for the Benoa PSDKP case to determine further sanctions for the matter.