UNAIR NEWS – The Brantas River is the second longest river after the Bengawan Solo River. The Brantas River provides various benefits to the people of East Java. This river is used as a transportation route, irrigation, and a place where people earn a living.
However, river management and water quality remain a challenging collective task. Therefore, five universities have initiated a collaboration with a consortium from the Netherlands to address this task. It was conveyed by Prof. Dr. Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih MSi during the Gala Dinner of the International Workshop on the Brantas River of Life on Wednesday evening, October 18, 2023.
Held at the Grahadi State Building, it was attended by the Vice Governor of East Java, Emil Elestianto Dardak MSc PhD. Prof. Nyoman stated that the ongoing international workshop is part of 51¶¯Âþ’s (UNAIR) efforts to contribute to East Java.
“This activity is one of our contributions to East Java, especially regarding our water resources, one of them is the Brantas River,” she said.
Five universities
UNAIR is not alone in this endeavor, collaboration also exists with various universities and international partners. In total, there are five universities participating: UNAIR, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), University of Indonesia (UI), Gadjah Mada University (UGM), and Mulawarman University.
Meanwhile, the international partners are from the LDE Consortium. This consortium consists of Leiden University, Delft University, and Erasmus University. On October 25 2023, the Indonesia Netherland Consortium will be formed. It shows the seriousness of UNAIR and its partners in rebuilding the Brantas River.
“With the establishment of the consortium, we can rebuild the Brantas River, as this river is the source of life for the people of East Java,” explained the Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Community Development of UNAIR.
Extensive discussions
Prof Nyoman said that a few days earlier UNAIR and its partners had discussions together. Experts from various countries attended, such as the Netherlands, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
“We spent two days discussing with experts, discussing how to properly manage the Brantas River with a multidisciplinary approach. Not only technology for managing rivers but also from a social perspective,” she said.
Another effort that UNAIR has made is providing education to housewives in waste management. It aims to prevent household domestic waste from being thrown into the Brantas River.
Furthermore, Prof. Nyoman explained that the management plan that has been prepared will be realized next year. She added that coordination, communication at all levels, and the contribution of policymakers are equally important.
“We will make concrete steps next year, taking action to build or maintain the Brantas River as the only source of water for the people of East Java,” she said.
The Vice Governor of East Java expressed his appreciation for this effort. According to Emil, this is an academic collaboration beneficial to the people of East Java.
“This is an academic collaboration with a multidisciplinary, stakeholder, and international approach to complete the overdue task on the Brantas River,” he concluded.
Author:
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
