(Adnkronos) – Indonesia will ban the construction of new hotels and restaurants on rice paddies and deforested agricultural land in Bali, after recent floods caused the deaths of at least 18 people. A state of emergency was declared on September 10, after the island experienced its worst flooding in a decade. Caused by heavy rains, the floods caused extensive damage to homes, public facilities and infrastructure, affecting thousands of people in Denpasar and surrounding areas.
Environmentalists have long warned about the impact of mass tourism on the island, saying that stricter controls to prevent land conversion would reduce the risks of flooding and other natural disasters. Following the floods, Bali Governor Wayan Koster said this week that new rules have been issued. “Starting this year, there are already instructions for all district heads and mayors in Bali,” he said on September 14. “After dealing with the floods, we will meet again to ensure that no more permits are issued for hotels, restaurants or other facilities on productive land, especially rice fields,” he said, as reported by the Indonesian state news agency Antara.
“Starting this year, the ban on land conversion will be in line with Bali’s centennial plan. From 2025 onwards, no productive land can be converted into commercial facilities,” the governor added. Famous for its lush green rice paddies and beautiful beaches, the “Island of the Gods” has undergone rapid changes in the last fifty years, with locals and tourists complaining about traffic, pollution and rude foreigners who have arrived with the hotels and resorts that now blanket the island.
