BKKPN Monitors the Marine Ecosystem Due to the Erosion Prevention Project in Gili Meno

Aerial photo of the construction project of abrasion prevention facilities in Gili Meno. (ANTARA/HO)

MATARAM - The Kupang National Water Conservation Area Office (BKKPN) is monitoring the sustainability of the marine ecosystem due to the implementation of an abrasion prevention project located on the beach to the waters of Gili Meno, North Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara.

Coordinator of the Kupang BKKPN for the Gili Trawangan, Meno, and Air (Tramena) Martanina Working Area said this monitoring is part of the function and duty of the BKKPN for the preservation of the marine ecosystem in the conservation area.

"The last time I checked I forgot what month it was, it was down with the DPR. We will do another check," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, December 22.

The BKKPN in the implementation of this project, he explained, has issued a letter of Approval of the Conformity of Activities for the Utilization of Sea Space (PKKPRL) for work items in the water area, namely the construction of breakwaters and groin.

"So, from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), only PKKPRL is issued. For amdal and others, it is from the regional government," he said.

Likewise, with the permit for the construction of a revetment on the beach of the Gili Meno tourist area, he said that this was outside the authority of the BKKPN, but was already handled by the BWS and the local government.

In issuing permits, he explained, the local government has expressed its willingness to carry out the obligation to rehabilitate the marine ecosystem together with the community.

As a form of support for the rehabilitation plan, BKKPN will also conduct field checks so that efforts to maintain the sustainability of the marine ecosystem after the project run well and are targeted.

"Yes, later they will do rehabilitation with the Gili Meno community, and we will check to ensure that rehabilitation is adjusted to existing SOPs, both for seed locations and others," he said.

Martanina said that the abrasion prevention project in Gili Meno, which is under the control of the Ministry of PUPR, actually came from the community's concern in the tourist areas of Gili Trawangan, Meno, and Air (Tramena) about the threat of abrasion.

"So, in 2019 there was a request from the community for three turns to hold abrasion, because according to them abrasion is a threat," he said.

Due to this public demand, the local government forwarded this to the central government and received a positive response from Bappenas.

The central government then provided attention by making a draft through the creation of a Detailed Engineering Design (DED) in 2022.

"From the design, it can be seen that the abrasion impact erodes the island, reaching 2.5 to 3 meters per year. In the last 10 years, it has lost 30 meters," he said.

The results of the mapping were then discussed further in a forum until the agreement was reached to work on an abrasion prevention project from the beach to the waters of Gili Meno.

"At that time there were several methods and locations that were proposed. And at that time we had rejected it. If the location is good, the coral reefs and others, we reject, the destructive method we reject," he said.

Therefore, Martanina believes that this abrasion prevention development project has gone through a long enough study and discussion.

"Finally, from 2022 the draft was completed, and it could only be implemented in 2025," he said.

Previously, the existence of this project had attracted public attention and there were quite a few foreign tourists who were disappointed about the potential for damage to the marine ecosystem.

This potential is seen from the process of working on the project which also utilizes heavy equipment for the transfer of building materials such as piles of rocks that pile up to the coast to the waters.