THE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs is negotiating between the governments of Myanmar
and Thailand for foreign travellers to pass through Mese Gate BP-13 for 7-day
trips but local residents of Mae Hong Son province are currently allowed 3-day
trips up to Loikaw after receiving approval from the Union Government through
the Kayah State Government.
This
was part of Union Minister U Thein Swe’s reply to a question raised by MP U Pe
Du of Prusho constituency during the 19th-day meeting of the Second Pyithu
Hluttaw’s 13th Regular Session yesterday.
The
MP’s question focused on whether foreign travellers going through Mese Gate
BP-13 to Loikaw will be allowed 3-day and 7-day trips. The Union Minister for
Labour, Immigration and Population also said both countries are still
negotiating to officially open the border gate. He said his ministry will allow
the 7-day trips if an agreement is reached between both governments and the Union
Government approves.
Sufficient
irrigation & floodgate advantages
Next,
MP U Tun Tun of Pwintbyu constituency raised a question on whether there were
alternative plans to distribute irrigation in Pwintbyu Township should Mone
Hydropower Station or Kyee Ohn Kyee Wa Hydropower Station receive inadequate
water or suffer mechanical failures.
Deputy
Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Hla Kyaw replied that in
the event the hydropower stations stop working or the Mone Creek reservoir and
Kyee Ohn Kyee Wa reservoir are hit with a drought, they will release irrigation
water through the canals built in the reservoirs.
Next,
MP U Nyunt Aung of Monywa constituency raised a question on whether there were
plans to safeguard the farmlands and natural resources deteriorating from the
lack of high water levels from the Chindwin River after blocking Paukpin
Village Creek south of Monywa.
U
Hla Kyaw replied that there is no damage to local natural resources since
floodgates have been installed on Pauk Pin Creek and allows floodwater to be
diverted away from human settlements, used for irrigation, and allow fish and
prawns easy access.
Following
this, Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat announced the assembly has received
the Rural Region Development Bill returned by the Amyotha Hluttaw with
amendments and called for MPs interested in submitting amendment proposals to
register their names.
Motion
urging safer agricultural practices
The
assembly then debated the motion tabled by MP U Myint Thein of Wetlet constituency,
urging the Union Government to provide training for systematic use of
fertilizers and pesticides to ensure agricultural products are safe for
consumption and to prevent damage to the ecosystem and to closely monitor the
import and distribution of highly potent chemicals.
U
Sai Okkar of Laikha constituency said a developing country like Myanmar depends
on its agricultural sector and is critically important to learn how to use
pesticides systematically. He said climate change is causing a reduction in
crop production with the rain acting out of pattern.
He
said the excessive use of chemicals is a result of inadequate infrastructure in
the agricultural sector, weak fiscal policies, market deficiencies, lack of
widespread usage of modern agricultural systems and an efficient working
environment, and no coordination among the cultivators.
U
Sai Okkar said there are laws and bylaws necessary to the development of
Myanmar’s agricultural sector that have yet to be drafted, and also advised
having educational programmes in ethnic languages.
Call
for top-down assessment of agri-sector
Next,
MP U Sein Win of Maubin constituency supported the motion, remarking the
mover’s good intentions of systematic usage of pesticide and pushing for
greater awareness of the technology. He said cultivators need to be able to
assess when their crops need to be sprayed with pesticides and whether all or a
portion of them. He suggested the Union Government to organize for natural
fertilizers to be sold in all townships.
Following
this, MP U Tin Ko Ko Oo (a) U A Tut of Bilin constituency said that rather than
the Hluttaw debating the motion, the time is right for the Union Government to
carefully assess the entire agricultural sector.
He
said simply providing awareness training is not enough as the situation
requires a solution to be implemented, otherwise the people will continue to
suffer from the negative consequences of fertilizers and pesticides. He said
all relevant ministries should focus more on the resulting situation than what
processes they have implemented before other sectors are affected by the
noncommunicable diseases caused by the circumstances outlined in the motion.
Ministries
have processes in control
Next,
Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Hla Kyaw responded
to the motion. He said his ministry scrutinizes the situation in accordance
with the fertilizer import approval from the committee outlined in the
Fertilizer Law and the pesticide import approval and price approval from the
pesticide licensing group after which the Department of Trade approves the
import license.
The
Deputy Minister said the Customs Department reviews whether the imported
commodities match the information outlined in the import license. He said every
trade route into the country is regularly monitored to prevent illegal imports
and the state/regional governments form special task forces to apprehend
illegal importing as well.
He
said the Consumer Affairs Department monitors all commodities in the market
across the states and regions and confiscates or destroys harmful products and
takes other necessary action. In addition, they also provide the necessary
education and have been doing all these processes since 2017, said the Deputy
Minister.
He
said the Department of Agriculture follows the Good Agricultural Practices
(GAP) to ensure agri-products are safe, and conducts awareness raising
campaigns to reduce pesticide usage, combine multi protection systems for crops
and ensure safe use of pesticides.
The
Deputy Minister said that since all relevant ministries already have processes
in place that work towards the content mentioned in the motion, the assembly
should simply put it on record. The Speaker then asked for the mover’s opinion
who replied for the motion to be put on record. After gathering the
deliberation of the Hluttaw and receiving no opposition, the Speaker announced
that the motion will be put on record.
The
20th-day meeting of Second Pyithu Hluttaw’s 13th Regular Session will be held
tomorrow.
Aye
Aye Thant, Kyaw Zin Htike (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
PHOTO:
MNA
Ref;
The Global New Light of Myanmar
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