The central and West Sumatra provincial governments will work together to relocate thousands of people whose homes were affected by landslides triggered by the Sept. 30 earthquake.
Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi said Saturday the policy aimed at minimizing the amount of injuries and fatalities if a disaster strikes again.
"We will not rebuild landslide- and quake-prone areas.
"Residents will be relocated to safer areas," Gamawan, the West Sumatra governor when the 7.6-magnitude quake rattled the province, told kompas.com.
Gamawan was attending a national gathering for West Sumatra organized by the University of Andalas's School of Law graduates in Jakarta.
Based on recommendations from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry and a number of geologists, the relocation program will affect residents in one area in Padang Pariaman regency and two areas in Agam regency.
"Those areas are vulnerable to landslides, even if an earthquake doesn't strike," Gamawan said.
The cleared land will be utilized as plantation areas, he added.
