Bali rejects plans for geothermal development on religious grounds
A Sacred Journey from the Sea to the Mountains, Lake Beratan, Bedugul, Bali, Indonesia (source: flickr/ januartha, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
19 Jun 2013
The governor of Bali, Indonesia, will stick to his decision to reject the development of a geothermal project in Bedugul, due to religious reasons.
There have been several news in the past few years that have described Balinese being hesitant about geothermal development in Bedugul, Tabanan due to religious reasons. Now the Governor of the province, Mangku Pastika said he would stick to his decision to reject the development of the plant. The project is considered by the central government of Indonesia.
“I think it is a local wisdom that we must uphold and until now my response (towards the plan) is still no,” he said on the sidelines of inspection on the implementation of Bali Festival in Denpasar, the capital of the province.
Pastika said there are still other green sources such as water, solar energy and waves that could be exploited for it. “It may be more expensive but it also has a price,” he said.
The governor said the main reason for his decision is that because mountains, forests, beaches, lakes and estuaries are holy areas.
“The Balinese people and I could not as yet accept it. So, I apologize for that,” he said.
The ministry of energy and mineral resources has planned to build the plant and is awaiting for the governor`s approval.
“We will start it as soon as the governor agrees,” energy minister Jero Wacik said recently at a meeting with Hindu leaders in Bali.
Wacik said if the project is finished Bali will have an additional electricity supply of 150 to 200 megawatt.
Bali, which is the country`s most popular tourist destinations, at present needs around 600 MW and in the future the province would need up to 1,000 MW.
Various parties have expressed their rejection to the project located in the Batukaru wildlife preserve in the districts of Tabanan and Buleleng for fear it would cause environmental damages.
The Hindu Dharma Council of Indonesia (PHDI) has also asked the government not to go ahead with the plan saying that “mountains and forests are considered holy sites by Hindus. Moreover Bali is also a small island,” PHDI`s central executive board chairman Ida Pedanda Ketut Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa.
Bali is mostly populated by Hindus.
Source: Antara News
