Ministry of Public Works Accelerates Pante Lhong Dam Restoration to Aid Bireuen Farmers
Banda Aceh (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Public Works continues to expedite the restoration of the Pante Lhong Dam in Bireuen Regency, Aceh, which was damaged by floods at the end of November 2025, so that it can once again supply water to the local farmers’ rice fields.
“I ask my colleagues at the river management office in Aceh to ensure that the farmers behind [the dam] can start planting as soon as possible,” said Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo in Bireuen, Aceh, on Tuesday.
The Minister made the statement while inspecting the repair process of the Pante Lhong irrigation dam together with the Regent of Bireuen, Mukhlis Takabeya, in Bireuen.
He said that the repair of the dam is almost complete, and it is hoped that water will flow back to the local community’s rice fields during the month of Ramadan.
“Alhamdulillah, the dam is now basically finished. Hopefully, during Ramadan, water can flow to the rice fields behind [the dam], so that farmers can start planting after Ramadan,” he said.
He said that the current priority in the repair work is to ensure that water from the dam can flow back to the community’s rice fields as quickly as possible.
“With the dam and irrigation system being functional again, it is hoped that after Eid, water can be channeled to the rice fields so that farmers can start cultivating their land again,” he said.
Furthermore, he said that on the right and left sides of the river, the area is also being reinforced with permanent embankments, so that when floods come, they will no longer hit the banks and cause the river to widen.
“Because if the river widens, the irrigation can be damaged. In this location, there are many ‘elephant stones’; they just need to be installed on the left and right sides to make the embankments stronger, so that even if there is a large flood, it will not widen again,” he emphasized.
In addition, he said that his ministry is also continuing to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Regent of Bireuen regarding the rice fields that are covered in mud up to two meters deep. Whether they will be relocated or can still be used again.
According to information from the Regent of Bireuen, Dody said, even though the land is covered in two meters of mud, if the soil is still fertile, it can still be considered for use as rice fields again. However, with a different planting pattern.
“The planting pattern may be different and must use technology. Therefore, a joint discussion is needed to determine the handling later,” he said.
The work continues to be carried out in stages, especially regarding the embankments, because they are quite long, reaching tens of kilometers, he emphasized.
“Therefore, it is possible that the work will be carried out over several years, even though some of it is targeted to be completed this year,” said Dody.
Meanwhile, the Regent of Bireuen, Mukhlis Takabeya, said that the Pante Lhong Dam has been supplying water for 6,500 hectares of rice fields for farmers in the surrounding area.
“Therefore, the Pante Lhong Dam is the hope of the people of Bireuen. Because this is the largest dam in Bireuen,” he said.
He added that because the dam was damaged after the flood, for the time being, farmers are only relying on rainwater or water from the remaining flood, but it is not optimal.
“This dam is the largest in the regency. Hopefully, it can be functional soon, and after Eid, it can be used by the community,” said Mukhlis Takabeya.