YOGYAKARTA – Regions which are prone to disasters have a higher population of poor people than the average percentage of the province.
Such was happened in Seimeuleu regency (26.45%), Aceh Barat (29.96%) and Kota Sabang (25.72%). Next, Nias (25.19%), Nias Selatan (24.36%) and Sibolga (17.67%), Mentawai island(22.86%), Padang Pariaman (14.15%), Bengkulu selatan (27.53%), Lampung Barat (21.74%) and Lampung Selatan (24.72%). The level of poverty over the province’s average also happened on the southern of Java, including Tasikmalaya (26.08%), Cilacap (21. 40%), and Pacitan (21.17%).
Chief of Presidential Consultative Board of Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Emil Salim, said the regions prone to earthquakes are left behind in reducing povert level. "The big challenge we face is to improve people’s welfare and reduce poverty level there," Emil Salim said in scientific oration during the 65th Anniversary of Faculty of Engineering UGM, Thursday (17/2).
To resolve poverty percentage in those regions, according to Emil Salim is by implementing techno-scientific and economic knowledge. Based on the current development challenge, economic approach and pattern are not sufficient. But, through the implementation of sustainable development by building a network between economic and social and environment players. Their interaction and interconnection allow the growth of pro-growth, pro-job, pro -poor and pro-environment development. "Basically, this is very important to develop economic, social and environment orders which are resilient in the dynamic changes," he said.
Meanwhile, Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Tumiran said that in responding to the disasters in the past five years, his Faculty has the active role such as in the West Sumatera earthquake, flooding in Wasior and Merapi eruption. "In these geological disasters, the members of community here had strategic role in line with competence and expertise," Tumiran said in the annual report of Faculty of Engineering 2010.
During the Merapi eruptions, the Faculty has helped make field surveys and rapid assessment. The result was made an input for decision makers at BNPB, BPTTK, Yogyakarta Regional Government, Public Works Agency-Energy and Human Resources, Balai Besar wilayah Opak Serayu Progo, Yogyakarta Municipal Government, Magelang Regional Government and NGOs. Also, supported by students they gave education on threats of Merapi lahars and handling for community groups in the riverbanks as well as Early Warning System (EWS) on lahar threats through ‘SMS blasting’.
Tumiran added that the Faculty with the Forum Pemerhati Code organisation and Internasional Organization for Migration (IOM) have launched 1000 ideas roadmap for Code river to know the latest condition of Code after the eruption.