Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) - The Rotiklot dam in Fatuketi Village, Belu district of East Nusa Tenggara province has the capacity of irrigating 139 hectares of paddy fields and 500 hectares of other fields of crops around the dam, a local official said.

"The dam has the capability to irrigate second crops field during the planting season," head of the province's River Region Working Unit Fery Moun Hepy said here on Sunday.

The dam, scheduled to be inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on Monday (May 20), could provide clean water for hundreds of villagers of Ainiba, Fatuketi, and Motadik in Kakuluk Mesak subdistrict.

The dam is situated some eight kilometers from Atambua City in Belu District. With its capacity to retain 3.3 million cubic meters of water, the dam could release 40 liter per second of clean water to Atambua City, Fery said.

"The construction of the dam was faster than its target, only 3.5 years while the construction contract was for 4 years," he said.

Rotiklot is one of seven dams included in the priority program of President Joko Widodo's administration to be built in East Nusa Tenggara.

In January 2018, the president has inaugurated Raknamo dam in Kupang District, East Nusa Tenggara.

Translator: Kornelis Kaha, Sri Haryati
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019