Side Dishes For Earthquake Victims Of Cianjur Cooked In Kalibata And Bekasi

Refugees who were victims of the Cianjur earthquake (Photo via Ministry of Social Affairs)

Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini will build public kitchens in Jakarta and Bekasi to facilitate the distribution of food aid to earthquake victims in Cianjur Regency, West Java.

"I decided that today we will build public kitchens in Jakarta and Bekasi because I am worried that there will be more refugees there, for example for raw materials, for example, chicken and eggs are limited," said Risma at the Ministry of Social Affairs office, Jakarta, Friday, November 25, as reported by Antara.

The public kitchen is located at the Jakarta Heroes Cemetery and Balai Pangudi Luhur Bekasi. Risma explained that the two public kitchens will produce food in side dishes, while rice will be cooked in a public kitchen in Cianjur.

There was a discussion earlier that if we cook rice here, we are afraid that it will not be good to get there. So because of that, we still cook rice but we will supply side dishes from Jakarta and Bekasi on the grounds that we are worried that we cannot fulfill the food needs there," said Risma.

The ministry has also opened 16 public kitchens at disaster sites, which are still being established with a total food production of 27,890 servings for one meal.

The sixteen public kitchens are located in Sukamanah, Pendopo, Cimacan Hospital, Gasol Village, Sukamaju, Karangtengah, Cimacan, Rancagoong, Cikancana, Warungkondong, Cisih Gekbrong Village, Cugenang, Cianjur Sayang Hospital, Cianjur Service Office, Cugenang Sarampad, and Sukatani Pecet.

Risma said the Ministry of Social Affairs had deployed around 442 Disaster Preparedness Youth (Tagana) personnel from all over Java and Lampung. In addition, staff from the Ministry of Social Affairs also assist in activities in public kitchens, not only those who are at the center but also staff from 13 central centers.

"Approximately to this day, we have spent approximately Rp. 20 billion," added Risma.

He said the establishment of public kitchens, both located in Cianjur and in Jakarta and Bekasi, was not targeted to open within a certain period of time. The duration of opening public kitchens depends on the length of the need for evacuation.

"For public kitchens, we don't know how long, we don't know. Later there is a time when we have to withdraw. If (the example) at Majene we make for one year, Semeru is seven months. So it will depend on the evacuation," said Risma.