BADUNG, DEWATA.NEWS – Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) officers in Badung Regency began demolishing a concrete cover installed over an irrigation canal in Subak Munggu, Munggu Village, Mengwi District, on Thursday (Feb 12).
An excavator was deployed to speed up the removal process, as the canal had been sealed with reinforced concrete.
The demolition followed complaints from local farmers who had difficulty irrigating their rice fields due to the obstruction.
The operation was witnessed by representatives from the Badung Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency (PUPR), the Mengwi District Office, community leaders of Munggu Village, the village public order section, the head of Subak Munggu (Pekaseh), and local farmers.
Head of Satpol PP Badung, I Gusti Agung Ketut Suryanegara, confirmed that the demolition was carried out under an official order from the Regent of Badung.
“The canal that was closed is located in Subak Munggu, Munggu Village. It is a tertiary irrigation channel within the Munggu Irrigation Area, supplying water to approximately 17 hectares of rice fields,” Suryanegara said.
He stated that the installation of the concrete cover clearly violated regulations, particularly as the irrigation channel remains active and is essential for farmers.
“Based on an assessment by the PUPR Agency, the canal cover violated regulations and had no permit. It also made it difficult for farmers to access water. Therefore, the regent instructed Satpol PP to dismantle it,” he explained.
The demolition was also carried out in response to a formal request from the head of Subak Munggu.
Prior to enforcement, Satpol PP and the Badung PUPR Agency conducted a site survey in late 2025. The survey found that the irrigation canal measures approximately one meter in width and 1.2 meters in height, and had been covered with concrete along a stretch of around 20 meters.
Suryanegara added that the demolition was conducted in accordance with the Regent’s Order Number 300.1/1118/SETDA/SAT.POL.PP.
Authorities warned that blocking the irrigation channel not only disrupts water flow to rice fields but could also reduce agricultural productivity in the long term.
In addition, the obstruction caused waste accumulation, increasing the risk of flooding during heavy rainfall and complicating maintenance and operational activities along the canal.
The action reflects efforts by local authorities to safeguard traditional irrigation systems, known as subak, which remain vital to Bali’s agricultural landscape.