In some countries, governments are encouraging industries and businesses to move to regional areas outside the big cities. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
Some authorities have ruled out that industries and business centre should be placed in the suburban area. This essay will claim despite the fact that congestion issues can be solved in the city, the drawback of environmental damage in the outskirt will far outweigh any benefits.
When industries and business centered are deployed in the outskirt, traffic problem will not be encountered in the city. This is because the number of vehicle operating around the city gets decreased and switches to the rural area. For example, once visiting Semarang city, Indonesia, I found that congestion is not big problem faced by locals as central business and factories were placed far from the city. However, this will create another congestion spot as people try to invade the new place caused by the existence of business centre and factory.
The government policy to relocate the industrial and economic centre in the suburbs will destroy natural environment in the outskirt area. This happens as many trees will be cut down and the land is converted to resident complex, factory, and market. Taking Bogor, one of small city in Indonesia as an example, after plants and economic centre had been constructed; the weather turned hotter and air became not fresh, compared to few years ago. This case indicates that the bad effect of natural environment to the isolated place will outweigh the less traffic congestion in the metropolitan city.
All in all, even thought the traffic problem can be overcome in the big city, this will not outweigh the environmental pollution resulted when applying this policy in the outskirt. Where possible, the government should conduct further assessment in determining any policy regarding with this issue.
