Good News From Minister Basuki, Post-Disaster Infrastructure NTT And NTB Already 87.81 Percent

Minister of PUPR Basuki Hadimuljono. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) continues to gradually complete the rehabilitation and reconstruction of public facilities and social facilities after the Tropical Cyclone Seroja and Flash Flood disasters in the Provinces of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said that a total of 563 infrastructure development activities were affected in the two provinces with the current overall progress of around 87.81 percent.

Furthermore, Basuki said that the rehabilitation and reconstruction of disaster-affected areas in NTT and NTB were not only rebuilding damaged houses, but also as an effort to rebuild new settlements that were resilient to disasters.

"The approach is to build back better, not just to build with the same vulnerability to disasters, but to build better and safer than before," he said in an official statement, quoted on Sunday, March 13.

Meanwhile, Head of the PUPR Ministry's Disaster Management Task Force in NTT and NTB Widiarto said, all activities at 38 locations in NTB Province had been completed and for NTT Province 525 activities/locations had been completed 461 activities. Meanwhile, the remaining activities in 24 locations are expected to be completed soon.

"Specifically for the relocation of settlements, from 2,214 units in 20 villages, 8 regencies/cities, 515 units have been completed in 4 locations, namely in Waesasa Village, Lembata Regency, NTT, with 173 units, Oyang Barang Adonara Village, East Flores Regency, NTT, 50 units, Tambe Village. Bima Regency, NTB 185 units, and Daha Village, Dompu Regency, NTB 107 units," said Widiarto.

Widiarto said the remaining activities in the 24 locations included the rehabilitation of Haekesak Dam & Beabo Sub-District, Belu Regency with 99.10 percent progress, Mena Weir (98.97 percent), Kambaniru Weir & East Sumba Regency Irrigation Network (98.6 percent), and Waisika Dam, Alor Regency (99.3 percent).

Then, the Toyg Cs Dam in Alor Regency (99.1 percent), Termanu Bridge in Kupang Regency (99.74 percent), the Siumate Besar River Bridge in Kupang Regency (99.19 percent), Wardabi Elementary School in Alor Regency (30.13 percent).

"The rest are settlement relocation activities spread across a number of villages in Kupang Regency, Kupang City, East Sumba Regency, Lembata Regency, Flotim Regency, and Alor Regency," he explained.

Overall, the PUPR Ministry's temporary shelter development support in NTT Province is 1,922 units covering 700 units of Lembata Regency, 300 units of East Flores (Adonara), 386 units of Alor, 194 units of East Sumba, 173 units of Kupang City, and 169 units of Kupang Regency. Meanwhile for NTB Province, there are 292 units spread over 107 units in Dompu Regency and 185 units in Bima Regency.

This residential relocation development activity program is a follow-up to President Joko Widodo's direct order to the Ministry of PUPR as a quick response to the Seroja Hurricane disaster on April 4, 2021.