YOGYAKARTA (KU) - UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Sudjarwadi, M. Eng., Ph.D., visited location of barracks for survivors of Mount Merapi in Cangkringan, Sleman on Tuesday (2/11). Sudjarwadi was accompanied by Executive Secretary, Drs. Djoko Moerdiyanto, M.A., Director of Student Affairs, Drs. Haryanto, M.Sc., and Manager of KKN PPM UGM, Dr. drh. Irkham Widiono.
Arriving at Pakem main post, Rector met with the Regent of Sleman, Sri Purnomo. The meeting discussed about the handling of post-disaster efforts. "The effort is focused on the process of recovery at the disaster site in terms of education, social, economic, and infrastructure aspects," Sudjarwadi said.
Sudjarwadi said that the meeting also discussed the possibility of UGM and Sleman Regency conduct long-term cooperation in school curriculum development based on local wisdom. "Long-term cooperation encourages the teachers to teach disaster education to students from an early age," he said.
Sleman Regent welcomed any disaster education program for school students. According to Sri Purnomo, this needs to be done because the risk of potential disaster is still very great and disasters can happen any time. He also admitted the lack of knowledge about the disaster among the community located at the surrounding of Merapi. In fact, there are people who still believe about future disasters based on signs that are seen in the nature, not based on scientific research and technology from recognized institutions. "However, we are trying optimally to encourage the community to evacuate before a disaster occurs," he said.
After meeting with the Regent, the Rector visited 2 other posts, the Veterinary Medical Joint Command Post and Command Post of Faculty of Animal Sciences. In this place, the Rector met with the Head of Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry of Sleman regency, Ir. S. Riyadi Martoyo, M.M. To the Rector and his entourage, Martoyo said that up to now 294 cattles have died due to exposure of hot clouds. "Those included 11 PE (Etawa hybrid) goats. We have recorded all of these in case of a policy to replace the dead cattles," he said.
In Cangkringan, Pakem, and Turi, there are at least 3,025 dairy cows and 1,600 goats. However, all of them are currently underfed. "Livestocks are short of feed, such as concentrates and forage, we have to get them from outside Yogyakarta," he said. At least, it needs about 120 tons of fodder every day, but only 4.5 tons can be met. Donors pay less attention to animal feed.
Furthermore, the Rector went to the camps in Wukirsari Village Hall, which accommodates 2500 people and SD Kiyaran I (accommodating 1,300 people). On that occasion, the Rector met with executive organizing officer, Edi Harmana, and Principal of SD Kiyaran I, Erna Nurhidayati, as well as UGM student volunteers.