For constructing the shelters, a 100-strong warrior force from four units strove unstintingly to ensure that the disaster victims can immediately avail decent housing after the deadly tsunami wrecked their houses.
"You are great warriors. When people become helpless, you are here to offer help," Pandeglang District Military Commander 0601, Lieutenant Colonel Inf. Denny Juwon Pranata remarked during the return of 100 strong soldiers in Pandeglang on Friday.
Some 100 TNI personnel in charge of facilitating the construction of temporary shelters from the 0601 Pandeglang Kodim, 320 White Rhino Battalion, Yonsipur III Bandung, and Yonsibang Bandung were on the way back to their respective units.
Pranata praised the soldiers for their enthusiasm and magnanimity during the operation due to which the shelter construction work ran smoothly.
"Thank you for the dedication shown. I hope your efforts would benefit the Pandeglang people," Pranata noted.
Pandeglang District Head Irna Narulita expressed gratitude and commended the TNI for its dedication and loyalty to help build shelters in Pandeglang District.
"The TNI has been helpful to the regional government, and the TNI soldiers have shown utmost loyalty to help build shelters in the disaster area. Due to the role of the TNI in constructing temporary shelters, 100 such units were built," he pointed out.
Narulita believes that the TNI soldiers' persistent efforts in aiding the construction of shelters is testament to its role as a vanguard in protecting the people.
"Thank you for contributing. Congratulations on gathering with your families. Do not tire out or experience boredom if we need help and energy, gentlemen," Narulita noted.
Narulita remarked that the presence of TNI soldiers along with assistance from other personnel had expedited efforts to build settlements as part of the disaster management efforts in Pandeglang District and had been applauded by the central government.
Work partially completed
Some 400 temporary shelters were readied for people affected by the Sunda Strait tsunami that hit on December 22, 2018, in Pandeglang District, Banten Province.
"A target was set to build 824 shelters for the Sunda Strait tsunami victims, of which 400 were ready to be occupied," Head of the Housing and Settlement Agency (DPKPP) Pandeglang District Syarif Hidayat noted.
Hidayat further elaborated that of the total target of 824 shelters built, the work on 400 had been completed, comprising 300 in Sumur District and 100 in the sub-districts of Cibenda, Carita Citanggok, and Labuan.
"A total of 100 shelters have been readied in Citanggok and Cibenda with electricity KWH facility. It is expected that next week, we will be able to live there, while we are working on the rest," he noted.
"After completion of the work on building shelters in Cibenda and Citanggok, they will direct efforts to Sukaresmi and Mekarsasri, Panimbang Sub-district," he remarked.
He elaborated that around Rp14,475 million was necessary to construct one shelter.
Pandeglang District Head Narulita has gauged that the post-disaster handling efforts in Pandeglang District were currently being made at a swift pace. However, in other disaster-affected areas, the work of building the shelters was still ongoing.
"Construction work in Pandeglang is fast, while during this time, only half of the requirements for shelters had been met in other areas, and the funding is ready to be channeled to these areas for the construction work," he noted.
The construction of shelters is spread across 15 locations, with the figure totaling 824 units, built by the BNPB, with donations from state-owned and private firms as well as several other institutions.
The Sunda Strait tsunami struck parts of the coast in the provinces of Lampung and Banten on December 22, 2018. The tsunami hit Banten Province, with the area affected including the sub-districts of Cinangka and Anyer in Serang District.
Pandeglang District suffered the maximum brunt of the natural disaster, with some of the affected sub-districts covering Labuan, Carita, and Panimbang sub-districts, including Tanjung Lesung and Sumur beaches.
Several residents of Padeglang District lost their homes to the devastating tsunami, so they had to stay at refugee camps. The government is constructing shelters for temporary housing and permanent shelters for relocating the tsunami-affected residents.
The Pandeglang district government had put forth a suggestion to the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) for building 824 permanent houses for tsunami-affected communities in this area.
Pandeglang District Head Narulita stated that the development proposal for 824 houses was in line with the outcomes of data collection by the Banten provincial government, dated January 22, 2019.
The Public Works and Housing Ministry, through the Directorate General of Housing Providers, expressed its willingness to extend assistance at the earliest.
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
