Until today, we have spent Rp20 billion more or less (to provide assistance for the refugees).Jakarta (ANTARA) - Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini on Friday informed that her ministry will build public kitchens in Jakarta and Bekasi to support the distribution of meal assistance to earthquake victims in Cianjur District, West Java Province.
"I have decided today that we (the Social Affairs Ministry) will build public kitchens in Jakarta and Bekasi because I am concerned that the supply of raw materials, such as chicken and eggs, is limited (in Cianjur District due to the disaster)," she said here.
The public kitchens will be located at the Heroes' Cemetery in Jakarta and Pangudi Luhur Social Rehabilitation Center in Bekasi.
The two public kitchens will only cook side dishes, while rice will be cooked in public kitchens in Cianjur District, the minister said.
“Earlier, it has been discussed that if we cook the rice here (in Jakarta and Bekasi), we are afraid it will not taste well anymore (when the rice is eaten by refugees) there (in Cianjur)," she explained.
Her ministry has so far set up 16 public kitchens at the disaster location with a total production of 27,890 servings at each mealtime.
The 16 public kitchens are located in Sukamanah Village, the hall of the Cianjur District head, Cimacan Hospital, Gasol Village, Sukamaju Village, Karangtengah Village, Cimacan Village, Rancagoong Village, Cikancana, Warungkondang Sub-district, Cintaasih Village, Cugenang, Sayang Cianjur Hospital, Cianjur Social Affairs Office, Sarampad Village, and Sukatani Village.
The Social Affairs Ministry has deployed around 442 emergency response unit (Tagana) personnel from all over Java region and Lampung Province.
In addition, a number of staff from the ministry and 13 social centers have been dispatched to assist in meal preparation in the public kitchens.
"Until today, we have spent Rp20 billion more or less (to provide assistance for the refugees)," Rismaharini informed.
She said that the public kitchens in Jakarta and Bekasi will be kept open as long as they are needed by the survivors of the disaster.
For example, when an earthquake hit Majene Sistrict, West Sulawesi Province, in January 2021, public kitchens were kept open for one year, while when Mount Semeru in East Java Province erupted in December 2021, public kitchens were operated for seven months, the minister noted.
“Thus, it will depend on the demands of the refugees," she said.
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Translator: Rizka Khaerunnisa, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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