City authorities to rebuild Penjaringan fire site
City authorities to rebuild Penjaringan fire site
JAKARTA (JP): The administration will soon rebuild the fire- ravaged area of Penjaringan, Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said yesterday.
Without explaining the detailed rejuvenation plans, Surjadi said that construction of low-cost apartment for thousands of the fire victims is possible.
"The detailed plans for the apartments have yet to be made," he said.
Fire destroyed at least 2,000 houses in the Muara Baru, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, fishermen's slum area last Friday. The fire has made at least 5,000 families homeless.
The fire, caused by a kerosene stove explosion, caused Rp 100 million (US$46,511) in material losses.
"It is possible to build low cost apartments, but not on this site, because the location is not recommended for residential area," Surjadi said.
The fishermen's houses were illegally built on a land part of the Sunter reservoir, which functions as a flood control system.
The governor said that the fire could be used to improve the residents' condition as well as the environment.
He said, however, that the rejuvenation plan would be carefully thought out. "All plans should be acceptable to the fire victims."
Surjadi said the North Jakarta Mayoralty office will be responsible for the rejuvenation and called on the people to obey the mayoralty's policy.
The North Jakarta Mayor has prohibited the fire victims from rebuilding their houses, however, many of them have reconstructed their houses on the grounds that they need safer shelter for their families.
Speaking of flood victims, Surjadi said that his office has asked the City Military Command for military tents to temporarily shelter the flood victims in East and South Jakarta.
"They cannot rebuild their houses soon in such dangerous areas. Another flood may come at anytime," he said.
He has suggested that the residents reconstruct their houses after the rainy season is over.
Therefore, the tents will be the best answer at the time being, he said, adding that what he meant with temporary barracks for the flood victims are the tents expected from the military.
The recent floods which killed 10 people and devastated five mayoralties caused a total of Rp 39.54 billion (US$18.39 million) in material losses.
A total of 201 houses, mostly located in East and South Jakarta, were washed away by the water.
The City Social Services Agency reported on Saturday that the losses were calculated on the basis of the number of houses and other items owned by the 60,110 families, or 354,015 residents, whose homes were either damaged or destroyed by the flooding from Jan.4 to 8. (yns)