Regent Hopes to Complete Aneuk Gajah Rheut Irrigation Flowing to Peudada Rice Fields.
One of the solutions to overcome the interruption of irrigation water supply from the Hagu dam has now been destroyed by floods. The Regent of Bireuen hopes that the authorities will immediately complete the construction of the Aneuk Gajah Rheut irrigation dam, in Gampong Lawang, Peudada District.
This hope was conveyed by the Regent of Bireuen, H Mukhlis, ST at the Musrenbang activity of the Regency Government Work Plan (RKPK) at the Peudada District level, Peulimbang, Jeunieb, Thursday (13/3/2025) at the Multipurpose Building, Peulimbang District.
Overseeing the remarks when closing the activity, the Regent said that Bireuen's condition was not good. Currently, there is an extraordinary budget refocusing by the Central Government, not only in Bireuen, but also in all regions in Indonesia.
The impact of budget efficiency that is very obvious is that for infrastructure funds in the Bireuen Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency (PUPR), there is zero budget, a budget of IDR 54 billion has been eliminated, he said.
Likewise, the budget for official travel has been refocused by 50 percent, as well as for Office Work Equipment (ATK) only 10 percent because various activities in the current digital era can be carried out online, he said.
Meanwhile, Regent H Mukhlis also expressed his concern over the conditions experienced by the Peudada community, first when the river embankment broke due to flooding on Saturday night, January 27, 2024. Coincidentally there was a budget in the Aceh Government at that time, the embankment could be repaired and thousands of hectares of rice fields that had no water supply could be irrigated.
"At that time I once said that the condition of the Hagu Peudada irrigation dam was critical, even though the broken embankment was repaired, the Hagu dam would be destroyed, it would not be long before it was destroyed, and it became another problem that the water supply to the rice fields was now completely cut off," he said.
In the meeting, the Regent also assured the representatives of Peudada that he would try his best for the prosperity of the community. "I remain responsible as the Regent because it is very unfortunate that the residents of Peudada cannot go to the rice fields, they cannot plant secondary crops either," he said.
Regent H Mukhlis, who is a construction entrepreneur, said that rather than rebuilding the destroyed Hagu irrigation dam, it would require a budget of up to IDR 100 billion.
After it is built, it will not be optimal because the elevation difference is too far or it is too high to raise water to the rice fields. One solution to complete the construction of the Aneuk Gajah Rheut irrigation is in Gampong Lawang above the Hagu irrigation.
The Aneuk Gajah Rheut irrigation has been under construction since 2007 and has not been completed until now, and it must be completed as soon as possible. "I heard information that in 2025 there will be a budget of IDR 35 billion, but not just for Peudada irrigation, there are still other dams with problems like this," he explained.
"So one of the solutions to irrigate the rice fields in Peudada is to focus on the Aneuk Gajah Rheut dam, besides the dam must be rehabilitated, the irrigation network or channels must also be built," explained the Regent.
