           A total of 60 farmers who own land under transmission power lines in Kulon Progo, Klaten, and Purworejo formally established fishery farmers’ groups, Wednesday (16/12), at the Prof. Harjono Danusastro Auditorium, Faculty of Agriculture, UGM. The farmers came from five villages, namely Wonosari Village, Rasulan Village, and the Wasiat Village (Puworejo District), Jimbung Village (Klaten), and the Bojong Village (Kulon Progo).
           The five farmers groups were coached by The Community Service Team of the Faculty of Agriculture UGM and the PT PLN CSR program to use the productive area in the transmission power lines for integrated agriculture. This is done by farming catfish in tarpaulin ponds, and cultivating Raja and Californian bananas.
           Ir. Sri Harjaningsih, M.Sc., a member of the community service team, explained that the farmers were purposely invited to the workshops and coaching of aqua culture, and also to form fisheries farmer groups. "Each group is made up of about 20 farmers," said the professor of the Department of Fisheries, UGM.
           Harjaningsih said, with this guidance, farmers are expected to become powerful entrepreneurs in catfish farming using tarpaulin. "Previously, we have tested aquaculture in that particular area and it worked, and now we apply this in the field with the farmers," he said.
          Meanwhile, Ir. Lastono Haliwanto, Deputy Manager of Law, Communication, and Environmental claims that the PLN have poured around 541 million dollars to support the program of optimizing the lands under Transmission Power Lines. It is also to dismiss the public’s doubts about the dangers of this area. "After two months of testing, concerns were unproven. There are no effects for those who live there because the magnetic field is below the threshold of electromagnetic waves, "he concluded.