Chairman of DPD RI Asks for Evicted Rice Fields for the Toll Road Project to Get Replacement Land

11 January 2023 oleh admin

SURABAYA, dpd.go.id - The Kediri-Tulungagung toll road project, which will cross more than 100 hectares of rice fields, is a serious concern of the Chairman of DPD RI, AA LaNyalla Mahmud Mattalitti.

According to him, the project will reduce the area of paddy fields significantly and will reduce rice production in East Java.

Because of that, LaNyalla encourages relocation or replacement of affected rice fields around the location.

"The National Land Agency must coordinate with other ministries regarding land relocation so that the rice fields of the affected residents get replacement land with the same designation," said LaNyalla, on the sidelines of the Kundapil Wednesday (11/1/2023).

According to LaNyalla, this effort is the right solution in maintaining rice production in East Java. Because so far East Java has become the largest rice producer nationally.

"We need to try to limit the conversion of productive agricultural land, because food security is very strategic for a nation," he said.

Apart from being worried about the decline in rice production, LaNyalla is also worried about the use of compensation money received by affected residents.

"Use of land for the benefit of toll roads and compensation money received by residents can make them consumptive. In the end, they will not only lose land but also lose their livelihood if they are unable to manage money properly," he explained.

Therefore, LaNyalla asked the government and financial institutions to provide education on how to manage finances to the people receiving national project compensation. (*)