Governor Opposed To Geothermal Project In Bedugul

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said he continued to oppose the idea of allowing a geothermal exploration project in the protected forest area of Bedugul in Tabanan district.

"I continue to reject the idea as did the previous Bali governor," Pastika said here Tuesday.

Pastika said he was consistent with his initial attitude (of rejecting geothermal explorations in the Bedugul forest area), although the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) had recently mentioned Bedugul as one of 28 conservation forest locations in Indonesia with significant potential geothermal energy sources that could be explored by private parties.

Meanwhile, I Gusti Ngurah Wiranatha, head of Bali province's forestry office, said  ecological studies had shown that geothermal exploration activity in Bedugul's conservation forest area would have an impact on other aspects of the region's environment because the Bedgul forests were the culmination point of the region's entire ecosystem.

"Technically, geothermal explorations in the area are not possible," he said. (**)