To Overcome Recurring Floods in South East Aceh, the Ministry of PU is Planning to Build a Sabo Dam
JAKARTA - The Ministry of Public Works (PU) encourages the acceleration of the construction of sabo dams and check dams in the upstream areas of rivers in the East Aceh Regency to control flash floods and protect bridge infrastructure.
Minister PU Dody Hanggodo emphasized that disaster management is not enough to be carried out in the downstream area, but must target the source of the problem in the upstream.
"Flood handling must start from the upstream. The Sabo dam serves as a material catcher, so that the flow of water to the downstream can be more controlled and not damage infrastructure," said Dody when reviewing the Dona Beach Bridge in South Aceh, quoted from a written statement, Monday, January 12.
To strengthen flood control infrastructure in the upstream area, the Ministry of PU is planning to build around 30 to 40 check dams and sabo dams in Aceh, including flood-prone areas in South East Aceh.
The development will be carried out gradually with acceleration in priority locations, one of which is upstream of the Alas River.
Dody highlighted the importance of protecting the Dona Beach Bridge which stretches across the Alas River and is a vital access connecting three sub-districts, namely Lawe Alas, Tanoh Alas and Babul Rahman. According to him, the construction of the bridge must be accompanied by the control of materials from the upstream so that it is more efficient and sustainable.
"If we want to build a bridge, it can't just be at this point. It must be accompanied by the construction of a dam dam at the head so that the material does not go downstream," he said.
He also asked the Aceh National Road Implementation Center (BPJN) of the Ministry of PU to accelerate the handling of connectivity infrastructure, including the Dona Beach Bridge. Dody targeted, work could be done day and night from both sides so that the bridge could function again within two to three months.
On this occasion, the Minister of PU also reviewed the Mbarung Bridge in Babussalam District which was also affected by the disaster. The bridge is a link between four sub-districts, namely Lawe Alas, Tanoh Alas, Babul Rahmah and Darul Hasanah, and has an important role in supporting the local community's economic activities.
During his visit, Dody also reviewed the Jambul Alam Health Center which is located in a flood-prone area. According to him, the location of the health center is no longer ideal because it is located near the riverbed and has a high risk of being affected by disasters.
"This health center has been recommended to be relocated to a safer location. We will see the readiness of the land so that public health services are still guaranteed," said Dody.
Through this step, the Ministry of PU emphasized its commitment to not only handle emergency conditions, but also build a more robust infrastructure protection system to reduce the risk of flash floods in the future.