Airport construction continues despite lack of environmental permit

State-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura (AP) I has cleared a beach area, which will be the location of a new Yogyakarta airport in Kulon Progo, despite possessing neither an environmental impact analysis (Amdal) document or environmental permit for the project. Yogyakarta is home to several of Indonesia's most popular tourist attractions. “With the absence of the Amdal document and environmental permit, construction stages, including land clearance, should not be conducted,” said Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) director Halik Sandera Saturday. He said it was not the first time that AP I had violated the rules. The airport operator previously relocated residents whose land was to be used for the airport construction. The relocation was conducted before an assessment team in Jakarta had issued the Amdal document. Five villages have been affected by the airport project, namely Glagah, Jangkaran, Kebonrejo, Palihan and Sindutan. Rights group Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute’s (LBH) advocacy department head, Yogi Zul Fadhli, said an Amdal document was important because environmental permits were issued on the basis of the Amdal. <br/>