Intercultural Communication Assignment

AQUA AND ENVIRONMENT

“ We Can Start It today “

 

Irrigation networks, predominantly used to provide water to farmland, are vital infrastructure because they support the production of the grain/rice needed to meet the needs of a vast segment of the public.  The problem of shortages of water for agricultural purposes due to poorly maintained and damaged irrigation channels is an issue that deserves careful consideration. Local planting patterns, the presence of PT Tirata Investama in Klaten, water management, and the lack of cooperation among farmers in relation to maintaining the local irrigation network were all contributing factors to the increasingly complex problem of water shortages.

This problem came to the attention of PT. Tirta Investama in Klaten, which held a community social welfare activity in response. As a concrete sign of commitment to the local community this enterprise became a member of the Capillary Irrigation Network Coordination Forum, Ponggok Kanan–Kiri, whose purpose was to ensure the equitable utilization of the water conveyed through the Ponggok Kanan and Kiri Capillary Irrigations Network. This Forum, established on December 16, 2004  at the initiative of the Klaten Regency Water Sub-agency. The site of the Klaten factory was located in the area of the water source for the Sigedang Capillary Network, which was used for irrigation purposes.

 

Irrigation in Klaten

As a part of the local Klaten community,  PT. Tirta Investama became involved in playing a role in overcoming the problems occurring, including by motivating the farmers and other water users in the area of the Capillary channels to cooperate in repairing and maintaining the irrigation network. In this way, the optimal utilization of the Capillary irrigation network could be restored step by step. For this effort, PT.Tirta Investama Klaten contributed ideas to and supported all activities relating to the Mutual Assistance (Gotong Royong) Movement for the Cleaning and repair of the Capillary Network, which was implemented by the DI Capillary Coordination Forum, Ponggok Kanan-Kiri.

A farmer boy carries plants

The main activity was carried out on Sunday morning, July,10 2008 and involved 250 water users, such as farmers, employees of PT.  Tirta Investama, representatives of the local water agency, PDAM, local residents, officials of the Water Sub-Agency, Mantri Air, local Police officers, and Karang Anom District officials, among others. The participants, who originated from 5 districts (Polanharjo, Karang Anom, Ceper, Pedan, and Trucuk) joined into the activity enthusiastically. Even the Head of the Water Sub-Agency, Djoko Wiryanko, the Karang Anom police chief, and a number of other local officials participated, not one showed any reluctance to get into the water channels to dredge out the trash that was clogging up the water channels.

This activity was covered by several print media, and local radio and television stations. The PT Tirta Investama Klaten Team sent a representation of 10 employees led by Emma Siti Rochmah (Plant Manager), accompanied by Abdul Hadi (HR CSR) and Arifin Rahman (Chairman of the PC SPDAG Klaten). This activity is a part of the implementation of the Corporate Social Responsibility concept in which corporations, including their employees, as a part of the local community, become involved in the development of the community and in the overcoming of problems facing the community. 

All of the participants of this activity, who had been provided with and wore AQUA T-shirts, cleaned the irrigation channels with great enthusiasm. Toward midday, all of the participants took a break and enjoyed a lunch of farm fare.