ATR/BPN asked to take action to ensure the victims of the disaster have housing land

Member of Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Indrajaya, welcomed the government's plan to build around 2,000 houses or permanent housing for disaster victims in the Sumatra region. He also asked the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) to help local governments (Pemda) prepare land for the location of the construction of the house.

According to Indrajaya, regional heads in disaster-affected areas need concrete support from the central government, especially the Ministry of ATR/BPN, in ensuring the availability and clarity of land status.

"(Minister) ATR/BPN must also intervene to help regional heads in preparing land for disaster victims' housing. This ministry is the most knowledgeable about the conditions, allocations, and legal status of land in affected areas," said Indrajaya, Thursday, December 18.

The South Papua district legislator assessed that land issues were often the main obstacle in accelerating the development of permanent post-disaster housing. Without clarity on land status, he said, the process of building houses for victims could potentially be delayed and protracted.

In addition, Indrajaya also asked the Ministry of ATR/BPN to coordinate intensively with the Ministry of Housing and Settlements (PKP) so that the planning and construction process of housing can continue to run in an integrated and efficient manner.

"The coordination of ATR/BPN with the Ministry of PKP is very important so that land preparation and house construction go hand in hand. Don't let the house be ready to be built, but the land is not finished," he said.

Indrajaya hopes that the government can move quickly and be responsive, given that disaster victims need certainty about a decent and safe place to live.

"We hope that the land for these permanent residential houses can be prepared immediately, so that construction can be carried out as quickly as possible and the disaster victims can immediately occupy a decent house," he concluded.