As a supporting unit of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), PIAT, which has been operating since 1975, is continuously growing. Located in the middle of a residential area of Tanjungtirto Village, Kalitirto, Berbah, Sleman, PIAT starts 2021 by holding a meeting with Tanjungtirto residents. The meeting is a way to extend gratitude to the Tanjungtirto residents for having supported PIAT’s operational activities so far. It also serves as a discussion platform on complaints and suggestions from the locals. Previously, UGM had distributed 300 packages of food supplements, honey, and eggs on 3 January 2021 for the residents. Dr. Gugup Kismono. as the Rector’s Secretary was in charge to symbolically hand over the donation package.
In the meeting, UGM Rector Prof. Panut Mulyono expressed his gratitude to the Tanjungtirto residents for their support of all kinds of PIAT UGM activities to date. According to him, UGM will always take any views from the residents into account to enable PIAT to provide comfort and benefits to the people.
“If we have not yet provided any benefit to the surrounding, we do apologize. Therefore, we are open to any feedback, suggestions, or ideas to create harmony and synergy between the community and PIAT as UGM representative in Tanjungtirto,” he said when opening the meeting at PIAT UGM, Tuesday (12/1).
Some university leaders and colleagues attended the occasion, including the Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Alumni, Vice-Rector for Research and Community Services, Head of PK4L UGM, Berbah sector police chief, PT Ciomas Adisatwa Yogyakarta Region executives, all PIAT management ranks, and representatives of Tanjungtirto community. Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Alumni, Prof. Paripurna stated there should be no distance between PIAT and Tanjungtirto residents. PIAT UGM’s presence is expected to answer community problems in agriculture, plantation, livestock, or fisheries.
Regarding the significance of the meeting, Paripurna said PIAT UGM and the community had several issues to discuss together. The talk included river abrasion at the village’s border, additional street lighting installment, PIAT’s block 1 and 2 fences reparations, black Nile tilapia processing training to increase its economic value, village master plan development, and educational tour initiation.
Kompol Eko Wahyu Nugraheni, SE., as Berbah sector police chief, added the police were always ready to help secure PIAT UGM activities in Tanjungtirto. It is related to the PIAT role of supporting research and practicum, which requires them to receive plenty of visits from researchers and students from UGM, other universities, and institutions each year. “The Berbah sector police department is ready to help secure conditions around Tanjungtirto. We know there are unavoidable differences in culture and behavior. Hopefully, PIAT can record the number of students or researchers who come and are handed over to residents. We are ready to conduct patrols when needed,” said Kompol Eko Wahyu Nugraheni.
On this occasion, Vice-Rector for Research and Community Services, Dr. Ika Dewi Ana, promised to create a smaller team to formulate solutions for several points discussed in a joint meeting between PIAT UGM and Tanjungtirto residents. “For river abrasion, Rector will assist later. For other points, a smaller team will be in charge so that we can be more focused. On the development of educational tourism, I agree with it. Hopefully, it will regrow people’s love for agriculture,” she said.
Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/20620-piat-ugm-dan-warga-tanjungtirto-perkuat-kerja-sama
