Spatial plan for coastal cities proposed<\/p>\n
Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and the National
\nInstitute of Sciences (LIPI) have proposed a new spatial plan for
\ncoastal cities following the 9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami
\nthat hit Aceh and North Sumatra on Dec. 26.<\/p>\n
The proposal, to be used for the rebuilding of the ruined
\ncities, suggests that the government move the cities away from
\nshoreline by between three-and-a-half and five kilometers.<\/p>\n
The area between the coastline and the main cities should be
\nfilled with mangrove forests, fish farms and plantations. The
\nmangroves as well as the plantations will serve as a wave
\nbreaker, thus slowing down the speed of tidal waves.<\/p>\n
Buildings in the residential areas should be constructed
\nbehind the "walls" of plantation trees and they should be
\nspecially placed, with their corners facing the shore to break
\nincoming waves.<\/p>\n
However, it was not clear how much it would cost the
\ngovernment to rebuild the cities under the plan.<\/p>\n
Minister Freddy Numberi said the damage to infrastructure
\nsuffered by the province's fisheries industry may reach as high
\nas Rp 10 trillion (US$1.1 billion).<\/p>\n
"The losses include ruined ports, fishing boats, freezer
\ndepots, auction markets and fishermen's homes," he told reporters
\non the sidelines of a seminar on Evaluating Maritime Affairs and
\nFisheries Development in 2004 and Activity Plans for 2005.<\/p>\n
He further said that rebuilding fishing villages and coastal
\ncities in Aceh would need intensive coordination with the
\nMinistry of Public Housing and the Office of State Minister of
\nCooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises, as well as with
\nother ministries.<\/p>\n
"We are assessing the situation, whether we are to rebuild the
\ncoastal cities or relocate the surviving fishermen to other
\nprovinces," he added.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the ministry has submitted the proposal to the
\nNational Development Planning Board (Bappenas), which requested
\nthe spatial plan last week.<\/p>\n
A staff member at the ministry's directorate general for
\ncoastal areas and small islands, Permana Yudiarso, said in a
\npresentation to reporters that the ministry and LIPI only made
\nthe technical proposal, while Bappenas and other related
\ninstitutions would calculate the needed budget.<\/p>\n
He said that if the government approved the proposal, the
\nconcept could also be used to rebuild other cities along the
\ncoastline of Sumatra island, which were prone to tsunamis.<\/p>\n
Most coastal cities in the country are located near the
\nshoreline, like Banda Aceh and Meulaboh, where the tsunamis
\nkilled more than 94,200 people.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/spatial-plan-for-coastal-cities-proposed-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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