The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial government has announced that it will relocate residents affected by the abrasion in Mapak Indah, Sekarbela, Mataram city, and the surrounding coastal areas.

“To build a place to live for residents requires a large budget,” the province’s assistant for economics and development, Nurhandini Eka Dewi, said here on Monday.

Relocation requires long-term handling, so the involvement of the central government is needed, she observed following a coordination meeting with the Mataram city government regarding the handling of beach abrasion that has been recorded in the city since December 22, 2022.

The abrasion has caused 18 heads of families in Sekarbela sub-district to lose their homes and they are now staying with their relatives.

After the relocation, residents should no longer build houses in the coastal areas, especially near the shoreline.

“The extreme weather happens every year, and NTB is one of the 11 provinces (that are prone to) serious damage,” Dewi explained.

According to her, the land that will be used to relocate coastal residents was reviewed by the related regional apparatus organization (OPD) personnel.

The inspection was carried out to ascertain whether the site was feasible or not for the construction of a new residential area.

Meanwhile, head of the legal bureau of NTB, Lalu Rudi Gunawan, said that relocation is a part of long-term handling for assisting coastal residents affected by the abrasion in Mataram city.

“If it is not (possible) to relocate, another solution will be prepared. There are still many solutions that are being discussed, not just one,” he said.

He revealed that the potential relocation land of five thousand square meters (sq. m) owned by the provincial government is being used as a cemetery.

Another two thousand sq. m of land is being used as a turtle breeding ground. “Let’s see if it will be divided for the relocation of residents,” Gunawan said.

Source: Antara News