Gov’t to Speed Up Disaster Recovery in Lebak, Bogor

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy on his inspection at Banjar Irigasi refugee center, Lebak, Banten, early January 2020. (Photo by: Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture PR).

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has ordered his Cabinet to accelerate the recovery of disaster-affected areas in Lebak and Bogor Regencies.

“The President has instructed that the actions be taken bring impacts and at the same time to ensure there will be long-term plans through planting (of trees) to the treatments,” Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy said in Jakarta, Tuesday (21/1).

For the record, Lebak and Bogor regencies were hit by floods and landslides in early January, causing the closure of a number of roads and the isolation of several villages in the two regencies.

Muhadjir added he has also instructed relevant ministries and agencies to prepare the acceleration of recovery schemes in accordance with their main tasks and functions.

“Especially on the relocation of residents affected by disasters and the restoration of natural conditions through re-vegetation of Vetiver plants,” he added.

According to Muhadjir, Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning has been tasked with to prepare lands—especially those with the status of Cultivation Rights Title (HGU)—that will become the locus of land restoration activities.

Ministry of Agriculture has also been tasked to provide support for plant seeds, nurseries, and distribution for reforestation, including the provision of productive plant seeds that can be benefited by the locals, the Minister added.

“We also need to involve the residents, including mountaineering clubs throughout Indonesia, to participate in restoring the lands,” the Minister said.

Furthermore, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, Muhadjir added, will also become the leading institution in the recovery of infrastructure facilities both for land restoration and settlement recovery.

Meanwhile, the regional governments of Lebak and Bogor regencies have been tasked to prepare land for relocation, he added.

In the meantime, Regent of Lebak Iti Octavia Jayabaya said that she had prepared two alternative lands to be used as relocation sites, namely ex-HGU of a private company whose permit has expired and the HGU land of the state-owned plantation company PTPN 8.

According to Iti, the disaster-affected residents whose houses are lightly or heavily damaged will be relocated since the residential locations are located on the border of the river and prone to flooding.

Relocation will also include public facilities and green open spaces, she said.

Meanwhile, Regent of Bogor Regency Ade Yasin said that similar efforts are being made by his region. In addition to that, residents affected by the disaster are still being housed at several refuge centers and the local government has ensured availability of adequate facilities.

“For the relocation, we are trying to remain relocate the residents in their initial residential area, but only for the stable ones. We have also been working with several institutions to conduct assessments to decide on appropriate lands,” he said.

For the record, the Central Government has announced it will provide assistance worth Rp50 million for heavily damaged houses, Rp25 million for houses suffering from moderate damage, and Rp10 million for houses with light damage. (Humas Kemenko PMK/EN)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Reviewed by: Muhammad Ersan Pamungkas