Wednesday December 14, 2011

Firm plants 100 fruit trees as part of programme

By EDWARD R. HENRY
ewdard@thestar.com.my

A PRIVATE firm has planted 100 fruit trees as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) project on a hillock off Jalan USJ2/2R.

The project, called People’s Orchard, was one of Saint Gobain Construction’s efforts to create a park for the public to come and relax.

Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh said that the top portion of the hillock that once housed radar equipment for the Department of Civil Aviation had been dismantled and the land handed over to the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).

“With fruits trees grown on top of the hillock and a public park built around it, the park is now a good place for recreational activities. Trees like mango, ciku, soursop, honey guava, kedondong, rambutan and pulasan trees have been planted,” she said.

MPSJ councillor Rajiv Rishyakaran said people would be able to reap the fruits of this labour, literally, in years to come.

Earlier Yeoh, who met the residents living around the area, said she had come to check on the newly installed floodlights and two sets of park table/benches at the park that residents had requested a few months ago in a dialogue session.

“The RM8,730 for the one pole with two lamps and the RM5,000 for the two park tables and eight benches came from my service centre’s allocation. Now, I just want the people to care for the facilities. With the floodlights installed it would help to bring down the crime rate. On the issues of graffiti, vandalism and discarded broken bottles, we need the help of the Subang Jaya district police to conduct patrols in the neighbourhood,” she said.

Yeoh added that her approach has helped to build a strong network with the residents.

Resident Y. Sela said the added facilities and the fruit trees in the park made it a better place for walks in the morning and evening.

“We are a close knit community and improved facilities at a park will augur well as this will encourage neighbours to come out in the late evenings and mingle around,” he said.