Jakarta, Aug. 11 -- The Indonesian Forestry Ministry has dismissed reports of a plan to build 600 villas on Padar Island in East Nusa Tenggara's Komodo National Park, noting the legal limitations on land use within the conservation area.

The dismissal of the groundless reports was conveyed by Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni amid growing concerns from local communities and tour operators that fear any large-scale development could damage Komodo National Park's fragile ecosystem and threaten local livelihoods.

Speaking to journalists after attending a National Nature Conservation Day event here Monday, Antoni said PT Komodo Wildlife Ecotourism (PT KWE) had been granted a tourism development permit in 2014, covering 15.37 hectares, or j...