Gov’t Speeds up Pamukkulu Dam Construction in S. Sulawesi

Pamukkulu Dam in Takalar regency, South Sulawesi province (Source: Public Relations of Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing)

Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing is speeding up the construction of Pamukkulu Dam in Takalar regency, South Sulawesi province

The dam is targeted for completion in early 2024. Currently, the construction progress of the dam which was built on 15 November 2017 has reached 22 percent.

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono said that the dam is projected to increase the sustainability of water supply for agricultural land in South Sulawesi as a national food barn.

“In South Sulawesi, there are still rice fields that span over 3,000 hectares. These are difficult to find in other areas. With the availability of the dam water, we will increase our productivity,” Basuki said as quoted from the Ministry’s website, Friday (19/11).

As stated by Head of the Pompengan – Jeneberang River Basin Center (BBWS) Adenan Rasyid, the dam is designed to have a capacity of 82.5 million cubic meters and can irrigate an area of ​​6,256 hectares. It is expected that the dam will increase the Agricultural Index (IP) in Takalar regency from 150 percent to 250 percent using a paddy-paddy-CGPRT (coarse grains, pulses, roots and tubers) crops cropping pattern.

“The Pamukkulu Dam also functions as a provider of raw water for Takalar regency at 160 liters/second. It serves as a flood control as well as a conservation for groundwater. This dam also has the potential to be used as a hydroelectric power plant of 4.3 megawatts as well as a tourism area,” he said.

The Government allocated a budget of Rp1.6 billion for the construction of the Pamukkulu Dam. Adenan Rasyid said that Cash for Work (PKT) scheme is applied for the construction of the dam.

“The PKT activity is carried out to rehabilitate irrigation channels in the Pamukkulu Dam Irrigation Area. This activity is carried out via the Irrigation Improvement Acceleration Program (P3-TGAI), which spreads over 20 points in 7 villages, 1 urban village, and 1 sub-district. Each point involves as many as 25 farmers,” he explained.

The PKT program is also carried out on the construction of the Pamukkulu Dam for work that does not require special or complex skills and can be carried out without heavy equipment such as digging channels and stacking rocks.

“We involve the local community as development agents. This scheme aims to reduce the unemployment rate due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. (PR of Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing/UN) (FI/MMB)