Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) Karaha Area is concerned with nature conservation by paying attention to critical land as well as efforts to increase public awareness of the environment.
This was revealed by PGE Karaha Area Manager Andi Joko Nugroho, (Wednesday, 4/8) during the symbolic handover of 6000 ganitri tree seeds, 1000 alligator avocado seeds, 12 kg of sunflower seeds and 20 tons of manure each to the Head of the Office. Forestry of West Java Province Epi Kustiawan, Head of Environmental Arrangement and Compliance Division of the Environmental Service Aneu Susana and Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency represented by Anang Lukman. The seeds were then handed over to the Subur Makmur Forest Farmers Group and the Wargi Saluyu Forest Farmers Group as representatives of the local community.
Andi Joko revealed that this activity is a synergy between PGE and the Forestry Service as a form of company support in restoring critical land conditions, especially in the Kadipaten Village area, Kadipaten District, Tasikmalaya Regency which is the upstream of the Cikidang River and the upstream of the Citanduy River Basin.
"We hope that through this activity we will be able to restore the condition of land resources to be more productive, maintain environmental sustainability and ecosystems along watersheds, all of which lead to an increase in the welfare of the community itself, both directly and indirectly," he said.
In collaboration with relevant agencies and the Purwamekar community, PGE will also participate in the restoration of critical land belonging to the Kadipaten Village through the application of the Agroforestry concept. Where farming land managed by residents will be optimized for its function through a combination of avocado plants with sunflower plants.
"All of this aims to preserve the environment and provide benefits for the surrounding community, creating a multiplier effect through derivative business opportunities such as agro-tourism and changing community behavior in terms of environmentally friendly agriculture or conservation farming," said Andi.
PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) is a company engaged in the utilization of geothermal energy and is part of the Subholding Power & New Renewable Energy (PNRE) of PT Pertamina (Persero). PGE's Karaha Unit I Geothermal Power Plant (PLTP) with a capacity of 30 MW was commercially operational on April 6, 2018.
Pertamina Geothermal Energy consistently develops the potential of the community and the environment around the operational area. This is in line with the assignment from the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) through the Regulation of the Minister of SOEs PER-05/MBU/2007 concerning the BUMN Partnership Program and the Community Development Program and updated through the Regulation of the Minister of SOEs PER-5/MBU/04/2021 concerning the Program SOE TJSL. Strategic planning for community development programs is carried out through five pillar programs; (1) Smart Petamina, (2) Healthy Pertamina; (3) Pertamina Green; (4) Independent Pertamina.
Specifically for the Pertamina Berdikari and Pertamina Hijau Programs, PGE Karaha launched the BuMaLa Program. This program is an advanced stage of the grand design of PGE Area Karaha's CSR program, the Jalipesah (Environmental Reforestation and Waste Management) Program which has been implemented previously. This program is also a solution to the problem of household waste which has always been an environmental constraint. As is known, organic waste is the main source of maggot feed.
PGE Karaha Area throughout 2020 focused on implementing CSR in community empowerment programs which are expected to be able to realize human resource development, as well as strengthen the economy of small and medium enterprises for the community in ring 1 of PGE Karaha Area by optimizing the potential of local resources as well as possible.
The BuMala program, which was launched in August 2020, has been attended by around 300 participants divided into 30 groups who are villagers around PGE Karaha Area. Currently azola ponds and cages for Black Soldier Fly / BSF (maggot maggots) have been found in many yards, and have even become alternative feed for local livestock.
PGE Karaha Area is located in the Karaha Cakrabuana Geothermal Working Area (WKP) of West Java Province covering 5 districts namely Sumedang, Garut, Majalengka, Tasikmalaya and Ciamis.
Currently, PLTP Geothermal Karaha Unit 1 is operating with a capacity of 30 MW and is administratively located in the Kadipaten District and Ciawi District, Tasikmalaya Regency, Karangtengah District, Garut Regency, West Java.
