PRESIDENT PLANTS RAIN TREES IN MADIUN

Madiun, Jan 18 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono planted rain trees around Bening Widas dam side and spread 150,000 fish spawns into the dam in Madiun, East Java, on Monday.

First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, Agriculture Minister Suswono, State Minister for Environment Gusti Muhammad Hatta, Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hassan and Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi who accompanied the president on the occasion also planted breadfruit trees and other kinds of tree in a bid to preserve the environment.

At least 3,500 trees would be planted around the dam which was built in 1980 as part of around 3,5 million trees to be planted across East Java province.

On the occasion, First Lady Ani Yudhoyono also donated 5 tons of additional food and 100 baby scales, and the president donated 30 units of hand tractors, five tons of hybrid paddy, 25 tons of NPK fertilizer, 90 tons of organic fertilizer, and a number of teak and bread fruit trees.

In a dialog with the local people and farmers, Sanimin, a farmer from Jesorean village expressed his gratitude to the president for the government programs.

"President's presence encourages us in Madiun to support the National Program for People's Empowerment (PNPM), because we are lucky to get fertilizer, the land tractors, and some medicine from the PNPM program," Sanimin said.

Commenting to Sanimin's statement, President Yudhoyono said the tree planting activities and the spread of fish spawns were also related to people's welfare improvement effort.

"We come here to make sure that the pro-people programs run well, because the government will continue work around the clock to step up people's welfare in the fields of education, health, and infrastructure," President Yudhoyono said.

The president and his entourage arrive in Madiun on Monday for a two-day working visit to the district in East Java.