Rp 1.5t needed for squatters' apartments<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government would need around Rp 1.5 trillion (about US$145
\nmillion) for the construction of low cost apartments to relocate
\nsome 30,000 families whose houses alongside riverbanks have
\nblocked river flows and contributed to the recent floods.<\/p>\n
Minister for Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure Soenarno
\nsaid on Tuesday that the government was still undecided about how
\nto raise the necessary funds.<\/p>\n
It was still considering options for the location of the new
\napartments, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Among them (options) is whether we will build the apartments
\nnear the rivers or somewhere else entirely,\" he told reporters
\nfollowing a coordinating meeting for economics ministers.<\/p>\n
He explained that the distance between a housing complex and a
\nriver bank should be kept at between 60 to 70 meters. \"Now the
\naverage distance is just 20 meters,\" he said.<\/p>\n
To persuade illegal squatters from leaving their hometowns,
\nthe government would also need an extensive public information
\ncampaign, he added.<\/p>\n
The city administration last month had to forcibly evict
\nthousands of illegal squatters living alongside rivers and
\ncanals.<\/p>\n
Their shacks, which are built close to the water, have been
\nblamed for causing river levels to rise rapidly during the rainy
\nseason.<\/p>\n
But non-government organizations decried the forcible
\nevictions as inhumane, urging the government to build
\nreplacements for their demolished houses.<\/p>\n
According to one NGO, the Jaringan Anti Penggusuran, the
\ngovernment conducted 45 forced evictions last year, leaving some
\n35,000 people homeless.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-15t-needed-for-squatters-apartments-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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