The land spans Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra and is meant to plug a shortfall in areas already designated for post-disaster housing.
“We have identified around 4,778 hectares of potential land for relocation, including about 1,039 hectares in Aceh, some 3,577 hectares in North Sumatra and roughly 162 hectares in West Sumatra,” Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said.
He said the mapping was carried out because areas classified as Other Use Areas (APL), which can legally host settlements, may not be sufficient to accommodate all affected residents.
“The most realistic and feasible scheme for converting forestland into relocation zones is through the PPKH mechanism, which may later be followed by a full relinquishment of forest areas to support permanent public settlements,” Antoni said, referring to the Forest Area Use Approval process.
The ministry has also issued written directives allowing residents and other stakeholders to use driftwood and debris left by the disasters to build temporary homes and emergency facilities.
Antoni warned, however, that local businesses and industries must coordinate with authorities before using the debris for commercial purposes to avoid legal problems.
“That policy is in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s instruction to ensure post-disaster materials are optimized for recovery without causing governance or legal issues,” he said.
The ministry has mobilized personnel and 38 units of heavy equipment to support recovery efforts, working in coordination with other government agencies.
Antoni said one of the ministry’s priorities is to clear wood piles and heavy sediment along the borders of East Aceh and North Aceh Districts, the Batang Toru river basin in North Sumatra, and several critical points in West Sumatra.
“Beyond cleanup operations, we are committed to ensuring that recovery efforts are carried out in a planned, coordinated and sustained manner to help affected regions recover and become more resilient against future disasters,” he said.
The floods and landslides last November displaced thousands of people, damaged homes and farmland and disrupted transport links across the three provinces.
Local governments have been struggling to find enough land outside protected forest areas to relocate entire communities from high-risk zones.
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Translator: Arnidhya N, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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