Post-disaster handling of Sumatra immediately enters the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.

Minister PU Dody Hanggodo (Photo: PU Ministry)

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works (PU) Dody Hanggodo revealed that post-disaster handling in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, will immediately enter the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase. The repair phase will be carried out in all sectors, ranging from water resources to public facilities.

"We must immediately work on this together and simultaneously so that recovery can run faster and the benefits can be felt immediately by the community," said Dody in a written statement, Thursday, January 22.

Dody explained that in the water resources sector, the PU Ministry focused on handling flood control, river security and sediment control. A number of flood control were affected by the river widening and sinking, so that it has the potential to disrupt irrigation water supply.

"Meanwhile, we will use a drilling well to temporarily drain water for community needs. But at the same time, the Directorate General of Water Resources will accelerate the improvement of the bendung affected by the disaster, including with the SPAM intake," he said.

In addition, river control is carried out through the construction and strengthening of sabo dams in the upstream area as well as embankment protection to prevent river widening which can threaten settlements and infrastructure around it.

In the sector of strategic works and infrastructure, the PU Ministry has also carried out cleaning for affected public facilities, such as places of worship, health facilities, schools, and others. The PU Ministry is also building public service facilities in the form of emergency health centers and integrated residential areas.

The emergency Puskesmas is built in a modular manner and equipped with basic health services facilities to inpatient, so that it can immediately be functional to serve affected people.

Meanwhile, the integrated residential area is equipped with supporting facilities such as communal spaces and play areas to support community social activities.

The Head of the Emergency Handling, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Task Force (Kasatgas), Sumatera Arie Setiadi Moerwanto said, his party was ready to enter the post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction phase by integrating basic infrastructure in the field of connectivity, water resources to strategic infrastructure.

He said, the Directorate General of Road Construction implements design and build, while the Directorate General of Water Resources implements quick design. Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Strategic Infrastructure and Infrastructure implements according to needs.

"All directorates-general have collected data in the last three months and we will integrate our readiness in achieving build back better," he explained.