Jakarta, Mataram/Kupang – The central government on Tuesday began laying out plans to assist flood victims in West Nusa Tenggara, while it found itself on the defensive over the effectiveness of its reforestation programs.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie said in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, the government would rebuild 1,000 houses devastated by massive flooding in seven villages in Sambelia district, East Lombok regency.

"The government will set aside Rp 5 million (US$526) for each house," said Aburizal, who along with Social Services Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah was visiting the devastated district, where up to 3,413 people had to be evacuated.

"I have warned the governor of West Nusa Tenggara and the regent of East Lombok, in cooperation with relevant agencies, to oversee the project and ensure the money goes to rebuild damaged houses," Aburizal said as quoted by Antara.

With much of the district's infrastructure damaged or destroyed, Aburizal said the government would prioritize the reconstruction of bridges. He said the bridge construction would be overseen by the Public Works Ministry, in cooperation with local agencies.

The minister also said money from the 2006 state budget would be earmarked to rebuild schools in Sambelia. "I have asked the national education minister to speed up the reconstruction of schools destroyed during the recent flooding," he said.

Aburizal said the flooding in East Lombok was not as bad as earlier floods and landslides in the East Java city of Jember and the Central Java city of Banjarnegara, though more houses were destroyed or damaged.

Meanwhile, H.M. Jamani, a member of the West Nusa Tenggara legislative council, questioned the effectiveness of large-scale reforestation programs introduced by the central government in recent years.

Jamani claimed the flooding in East Lombok was caused by massive deforestation in the area. "What is the Forestry Ministry and the local forestry office doing?" "The Forestry Ministry has aggressively touted its regreening and reforestation programs, which were financed with billions of rupiah, but what has been the result?" Jamani asked.

He said the programs were ineffective, at best, accusing authorities of replanting trees along the outer edges of denuded forests, for the sake of appearances, while leaving the inner forest areas untouched.

Meanwhile, in Wae Ri'i district in Ruteng regency, East Nusa Tenggara, the bodies of six flood victims were recovered Tuesday morning by search crews using heavy equipment, an official said.

Deputy Ruteng Regent Deno Kamelus said that according to information from residents, two more people were still missing. "The heavy machinery has helped in the search for victims, which has been hampered by bad weather," he said.

The bodies of the six victims, identified as Frans Mandut, Wihelmus Adon, Very Pedor, Yanto, Ropertus Dalima and Andy NGO Hui, have been turned over to their families for burial, he said.