Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Nusron Wahid said on Monday that the land-use plans in three Sumatra provinces will undergo major revisions following recent floods and landslides.The changes will affect Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, Nusron said at the National Working Meeting of the Ministry in Jakarta.
“The post-disaster revision of provincial and district spatial plans will result in extensive land-use changes,” he said, adding the focus will shift toward disaster mitigation.
Nusron said evaluations are underway, including forest areas previously cleared for plantations.
“Most likely, some areas will revert to forest functions to strengthen natural disaster resilience,” he said.
The revision aims to prevent future disasters similar to the recent floods, which were worsened by reduced water absorption caused by deforestation and land-use changes, Nusron explained.
“The areas that were once forests and natural buffers need to be restored to absorb water and reduce flooding,” he said.
He emphasized that the government remains in an emergency response phase, prioritizing rescue and recovery in the affected regions.
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Nusron said the post-disaster spatial review will ensure land-use aligns with environmental characteristics while minimizing future disaster risks.
The ministry will coordinate with the Forestry Ministry and other agencies to evaluate plantation zones, river basins, and other high-risk areas for potential land reclassification.
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Officials hope that revising land-use plans will strengthen resilience against floods, landslides, and other natural disasters while balancing development needs.
The ministry plans to issue revised regulations for provincial and district spatial plans once the evaluations are complete, Nusron added.
