Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – The Ministry of Environment has halted the development of the Lido Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bogor on Thursday (February 6, 2025) due to several violations. This action followed an unannounced inspection by the Minister of Environment, Hanif Faisol Nurrofiq, at Lido SEZ on February 1, 2025, in response to public complaints regarding the silting of Lake Lido.
The suspension of the Lido SEZ development was led by the Director of Environmental Complaints and Supervision, Environmental Law Enforcement, Ardyanto Nugroho, on Thursday afternoon. Ardyanto explained that field verification revealed significant discrepancies between the approved environmental documents and the actual construction at Lido SEZ in Cigombong District, Bogor Regency.
Ardyanto stated that the ongoing construction activities failed to properly manage runoff water, leading to sedimentation that threatens the lake’s ecosystem. “The mismatch between environmental planning and physical implementation is a serious concern in the effort to preserve natural resources,” Ardyanto said in a statement on Thursday (February 6). The 1,040-hectare Lido SEZ project began in 2022, with an investment target of IDR 33.4 trillion by 2030.
Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurrofiq explained that satellite imagery analysis showed silting and a reduction in Lake Lido’s area, partly due to land-clearing activities at Lido SEZ. “PT MNC Land Lido is indicated to have failed to properly manage rainwater runoff. As a result, sediment from the cleared land area was carried into the upstream section of Lake Lido, causing sedimentation and silting,” Hanif said.
Separately, PT MNC Land Lido, the developer of Lido SEZ, stated in an official release that signs placed at two construction sites read “This Area is Under Supervision,” not “This Area is Sealed.”
Responding to the Ministry of Environment’s actions, MNC Land Lido claimed that the alleged sedimentation or silting had already occurred before PT MNC Land Lido took over the Lido area in 2013. “The sedimentation or silting, as alleged, had already occurred before PT MNC Land Lido took over the Lido area in 2013, which can be proven through aerial photographs from that year. Since PT MNC Land Lido began construction around 2016, one of its focuses has been addressing this sedimentation issue,” the company’s statement read.
Additionally, the Lido SEZ, which was officially designated in 2021, has already provided sediment retention structures as part of its efforts to mitigate the silting issue.
Lido SEZ also asserted that it has constructed drainage channels to collect and direct runoff water away from Lake Lido. Furthermore, the company stated that it actively manages the lake.
PT MNC Land Lido claimed that, as of the publication of its response, it had never received any notification and/or written warning in any form. “Therefore, the sealing action is suspected to have been carried out without adhering to the general principles of good governance, as stipulated in Law No. 30 of 2014 on Government Administration,” the statement continued.
As additional information, the Lido SEZ in Bogor Regency, West Java Province, was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on Friday, March 31, 2023. In his speech, the President described Lido SEZ as concrete proof that the government’s infrastructure development has been well utilized by the private sector.
On that occasion, the President also praised Lido SEZ as a comprehensive area designed to generate economic value. “I was pleased to see that Lido SEZ will include a theme park, a movie land, a water park, a techno park, and an automotive zone—it’s a complete package,” said the President.
The President expressed hope that Lido SEZ would become a domestic tourism alternative, noting that a significant number of Indonesians still travel abroad for vacations.
