Palapa Jaya HME ITB: Intimate Cooperation between Academics, Government, and Business

By asni jatiningasih

Editor asni jatiningasih

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - Three principles of universities: Education, Research, and Devotion become the basis of Palapa Jaya HME (Electrical Engineering Students Association) ITB in applying class lecture to the public on the need. Struggling for almost three years, the team succeeded in building the Palapa  water powered in scale of pico in remote village, Jayamukti, Cihurip Sub-district, Garut.

Saturday (21/02/09), held in the Jayamukti village, Palapa ITB team launched as a symbol the electricity generation
is gigiving to the village people. "From the beginning we have been working with the community in planning and building these plants," said Randi Putra, the head of the Palapa Jaya. Added by Alfath, electrical engineering student 2005, the effort to build the people in village sense of belonging to these electricity plants has also been completely implemented. Once it is enough, then the Palapa will not actively manage the people to take care of the power generation, but the people should manage it theirself. The people in village have also formed committees, from maintenance the equipment to contact the Palapa Team. "This is possible because there has been transfer of knowledge to the Jayamukti villagers," said Alfath. Palapa Jaya team divided into two comitees in building the project, that is from technology aspect and community development aspect.

Events that held in two hours, at 10.00-12.00, attended by ITB excecutive. Rector, STEI Dean, Chairman of the Electric Power Study Program, and the Chairman of the ITB LPKM become distinctive colors in this ceremony. Djoko
Santoso and his staff witnessed the flowing of electric generation from the water keeper to the generator. It was also attended by representatives of businessesman and government. Deon, Chevron Asset manager, directly monitoring this 2400 watt generation. Now, 89 houses, 1 mosque, 2 Langgar, and 15 street lights have been lighting by intimate cooperation between academician, government, and business.