PRR Task Force Opens Third-Party Cooperation Opportunities to Accelerate River Normalisation

The head of the Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Task Force for Sumatra, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, is encouraging regional governments to accelerate recovery measures, including opening up cooperation opportunities with third parties to handle sedimentation and river normalisation. Tito made the statement during a Coordination and Evaluation Meeting on Handling Achievements and Accelerating Post-Hydrometeorological Disaster Recovery in Aceh, alongside Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf and 18 heads of affected districts and cities in Banda Aceh on Tuesday. According to Tito, the involvement of third parties can be a solution to speed up river normalisation, especially on river channels considered to have a low risk of flooding. This would mean regional governments do not need to wait for the central government to handle all the work. ‘Rivers that are not prone to flooding again are probably better handed over to regional governments, then the regional government can cooperate with third parties. Otherwise, it will not be finished if the central government has to do it all,’ Tito said. Tito mentioned that the river normalisation process still requires a long time and is estimated to run until 2028. Therefore, acceleration at the regional level is a crucial step to support regional recovery while revitalising the economic activities of affected communities. ‘There is still much to be done. This river normalisation could go on until 2028. If there is a third party, then just let the third party handle it,’ he stated. PRR Task Force data records that the river normalisation programme covers 115 handling locations in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. To date, 34 rivers have been fully handled, while 91 others are still in progress. As for estuary normalisation, out of 38 target locations, nine have been completed and 31 are still under way. Meanwhile, Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf emphasised that accelerating the recovery of community economic land must be the top priority in handling the post-hydrometeorological disaster. He said the repair of rice fields, fish ponds, irrigation, and river normalisation is critical to restoring the livelihoods of thousands of affected residents. ‘Everything needs handling. The most urgent are the rice fields that cannot yet be used, irrigation, bridges, roads, and ponds. This is directly related to the livelihoods of the people of Aceh,’ said Muzakir, known familiarly as Mualem.