Waskita Karya Calls The Jlantah Dam In Karanganyar, Central Java, Supports Food Self-Sufficiency

Photo: Doc. Antara

PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk has accelerated the construction of the Jlantah Dam in Karanganyar Regency, Central Java, to increase water storage capacity and support food self-sufficiency in the region.

Director of Operations II Waskita Karya Dhetik Ariyanto in his statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, December 24, said that the existence of the Jlantah Dam would bring great benefits, especially for irrigation interests to encourage food security.

The government is currently focusing on increasing food security. In fact, President Prabowo Subianto has advanced the food self-sufficiency target from 2028 to 2027.

"The government is determined to ensure national food production in order to be able to meet the needs of the people without having to import. So the existence of the Jlantah Dam can encourage this goal, because it is able to increase agricultural productivity," said Dhetik, quoted from Antara.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Public Works Diana Kusumastuti said the government is targeting the dam to be inaugurated in January 2025. Currently, the development progress has reached 98.54 percent.

"We still have to pay attention to quality and safety aspects," said Diana.

Diana also asked that after the construction was completed, the work would continue with the provision of irrigation networks.

Dhetik added that dams can irrigate 1,494 hectares of rice fields in Jatiyoso and Jumapolo sub-districts.

He explained that previously the irrigation of rice fields around Karanganyar Regency relied on rain.

Then, it can increase the Plantation Index (IP) from 172 percent to 272 percent on 806 hectares of land. The IP on an area of 688 ha also has the potential to reach 272 percent

The dam, which is designed at a height of 70 meters from the deepest foundation and has a length of 404 meters, has a capacity of 10.97 cubic meters (m3).

Then the raw water that can be supplied reaches 150 liters per second (l/dt) for Jumapolo District, Jumantono District, Jatipuro District, Karanganyar Regency.

"The Jlantah Dam was also able to reduce flooding in rice fields in Bendosari Village, Sukorharjo Regency, up to 87 hectares," he explained.

Dhetik said that this dam also supports energy security, because it has the potential to be a microhydro power plant (PLMTH) of 0.625 megawatts (MW).

Then, seeing the strategic location between the Jlantah River and the Puru River in Tlobo and Karangsari Villages, the project is believed to be developed into an agro-tourism area.

That way, it can open up more business opportunities and job opportunities, so that the people around the dam are more prosperous.