The Ministry of Environment (KLH) said that they would announce results of experts’ examination on the Lido Special Economic Zone (KEK) development issue within the next week.

Earlier, KLH sealed the Lido KEK owned by PT MNC Land Lido in Bogor, West Java on Thursday, February 6, 2025 due to public complaints regarding the shallowing of Lake Lido.

Rizal Irawan, Deputy for Law Enforcement at KLH, said that research conducted by an expert on the land and water in Lake Lido showed that there was environmental damage.

He, however, added that KLH will still wait for the reports from other experts to strengthen the evidence. In investigating this case, KLH collaborated with four experts to conduct research related to the causes of lake shallowing.

"In criminal terms, it is enough to have one expert showing that there is environmental damage. However, to be more certain, we are still waiting for reports from the other experts," Rizal said on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

He cited that KLH has several instruments in handling this case, from administrative criminal sanctions to civil sanctions if proven guilty. KLH has sealed and stopped the construction of the Lido KEK. 

Ardyanto Nugroho, Director of Environmental Complaints and Monitoring at KLH, said that the construction of the mega project initiated by businessman Hary Tanoesoedibjo has caused the area of Lake Lido to drastically shrink.

The results of field verification revealed significant differences between the approved environmental documents and the actual construction in the Lido KEK. Ongoing development activities do not manage runoff properly, resulting in sedimentation that threatens the ecosystem around the lake.

"The mismatch between environmental plans and physical implementation is a serious concern in efforts to preserve natural resources," Ardyanto said as quoted by Katadata, on February 6, 2025.

Ardyanto said, based on satellite observations, the waterbody area of Lake Lido has experienced a drastic narrowing from the total allocation of 24 hectares (ha) to only 12 ha, with the loss of around 2 ha of the waterbody.

Based on this finding, the management is required to immediately fulfill all permits that have not been fulfilled. The government will apply administrative sanctions in the form of government coercion, including sealing the area and late fines, which will be adjusted to the speed of fulfillment of obligations by the developer.

He said the monitoring team had taken water samples to be tested at an accredited and registered environmental laboratory, as part of the scientific evidence regarding pollution in Lake Lido.

"The Ministry of Environment affirms its commitment to preserving the environment and will take firm action against violations that impact the ecosystem and surrounding communities," he said.