No compensation money for Karet fire victims<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Fire victims of the gutted Karet Tengsin slum
\narea in Central Jakarta would get only land in a coming apartment
\nproject as compensation, an official said yesterday.<\/p>\n
City housing agency head Ongky Sukasah said the city had no
\nfunds to compensate the Karet Tengsin residents for the loss of
\ntheir buildings.<\/p>\n
Ongky did not say the families did not have the right to
\ncompensation for their buildings.<\/p>\n
"But I believe (Central Jakarta mayor) Pak Abdul Kahfi can
\nconvince residents," Ongky said.<\/p>\n
Land compensation has been set at Rp 1,050,000 (US$443.20) per
\nsquare meter for plots with ownership documents.<\/p>\n
A Rp 12 billion four block, 320 apartment project would be
\nbuilt on the two-hectare site early next year, he said.<\/p>\n
Ongky said the Karet Tengsin fire victims had priority in the
\napartment projects.<\/p>\n
According to the mayoralty the fire in the Tanah Abang
\ndistrict on Wednesday destroyed 158 homes belonging to 247
\nfamilies.<\/p>\n
"A meeting on land appropriation is scheduled today," he said.<\/p>\n
Residents are demanding compensation negotiations for their
\nhomes. They said nearby neighborhoods, which would be relocated
\nfor apartments, got compensation for their buildings.<\/p>\n
Ongky said compensation for buildings after a fire was hard
\nbecause the houses' values could not be determined because they
\nwere destroyed.<\/p>\n
Residents are still taking refuge on the ground floor of a
\nnearby new apartment block.<\/p>\n
The funds for the Karet Tengsin apartments would be the money
\ndesignated to finance apartments for fire victims in North
\nJakarta, Ongky said.<\/p>\n
"I have discussed this with Pak Suprawito (North Jakarta
\nmayor)," Ongky said.<\/p>\n
Ongky denied an earlier statement by local authorities who
\nsaid the site was the last area where apartments would be built.<\/p>\n
"That is incorrect, the whole area is plotted for low cost
\napartments, but we don't have the money yet," Ongky said.<\/p>\n
He denied arson caused the fire.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Antara reported yesterday donations for the fire
\nvictims continued to flow in.<\/p>\n
Several social organizations have sent donations. The latest
\ndonation was from Tangerang's Vihara Nimmala Foundation.<\/p>\n
The donation, which was several tons of rice, instant noodles
\nand clothing, was presented by the foundation's chairman Trisno
\nBudhiyanto and Budhi Suardaya, to the local neighborhood
\nassociation's chairman Abdul Rachaman.<\/p>\n
Several fires have hit the city recently. The biggest gutted
\nthe Senen shopping complex two weeks ago. (anr)<\/p>",
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