Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Forestry has assured that resort development on Padar Island, East Nusa Tenggara, complies with legal requirements for environmental impact assessments and Komodo dragon conservation, while awaiting an evaluation from UNESCO.
The ministry's Head of Public Relations and Foreign Cooperation Bureau, Krisdianto, on Tuesday expressed appreciation for public concern over the planned natural-tourism facilities by PT Komodo Wildlife Ecotourism (PT KWE) on Padar Island.
"We ensure that all management and utilization activities within Komodo National Park are carried out according to applicable laws and regulations and prioritize the protection of wildlife and ecosystems," he emphasized.
Komodo National Park, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, requires that any development in the area receive an assessment from the UN agency.
Krisdianto noted that PT KWE already holds a Nature Tourism Facility Provision Business Permit (IUPSWA/PB-PSWA) issued on September 23, 2014, for 426.07 hectares of land on Komodo and Padar Islands.
The company built foundations for roughly 148 piles on Padar Island between late 2020 and early 2021, before being directed to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Related news: Indonesian govt vows Padar Island tourism won't harm Komodo habitat
Following the official directive from the Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) in June 2022, construction was halted and will not resume until the EIA process is already complete.
PT KWE has since prepared the EIA with a multidisciplinary expert team from Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) and held a public consultation on July 23, 2025, in Labuan Bajo with stakeholders including local officials, community leaders, NGOs, business representatives, and academics.
Key concerns include relocating tourist facilities to avoid contact with Komodo dragons and their nests, building elevated walkways while preventing tree cutting, maintaining safe distances from nesting sites, and forming partnerships with the tourism industry and local hospitality schools.
Regarding employee dormitories built by PT Palma Hijau Cemerlang (PHC), a Komodo National Park Agency partner, Krisdianto confirmed the structures use non-permanent materials and are not intended for commercial use.
Monitoring by the Komodo National Park Agency and the Komodo Survival Program Foundation shows the Komodo dragon population on Padar Island has remained stable for the past three years, with no signs of decline. Data from 2025 even suggest an increase, though a comprehensive analysis is still underway.
Related news: Indonesia dismisses reports of 600 villas on protected Komodo Island
Related news: Indonesia to limit Komodo Park visitors to protect Padar Island
Translator: Prisca Triferna Violleta, Resinta Sulistiyandari