PMI starts building public baths

PMI starts building public baths

BENGKULU CITY, Bengkulu: The Bengkulu chapter of the
Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has started building 87 units of
public baths and toilets in Sukasari village, Sukaraja district
with Rp 450 million (US$54,880) in aid from the Singapore Red
Cross and an additional Rp 250 million from PMI.

Construction on the public baths is expected to be finished in
five months.

The head of the PMI provincial chapter, Wahiddun Nurdin
Djangjaja, said that the Singapore Red Cross had agreed to fund
the public bathing facilities after the village was hit by an
earthquake registering 7.3 on the Richter scale on June 6, 2000.

"Each unit will be shared by three villagers," he said. "We
hope the public baths and toilets will improve sanitation in the
neighborhood and reduce possible cases of diarrhea."

A total of 94 people were killed and hundreds of others were
injured in the quake that caused Rp 310 billion in material
losses. -- Antara