Disposal of wastewater should be bigger part of water resource management

January 30, 2018

U Henry Van Thio, Vice President and Chairman of the National Water Resources Committee, yesterday said further attention into how the country disposes of wastewater should be prioritized.

U Henry Van Thio made the remark during a speech delivered at the coordination meeting 1/2018 of the National Water Resources Committee held in the meeting hall of the Ministry of Transport and Communications in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.

“Water is an essential resource for living creatures and living things, and all need to prevent this resource from becoming a danger to both due to the conduct of humans. Emphasis need to be placed on the matter of wastewater disposal”, the Vice President said.

The Vice President said the coordination meeting 1/2018 of National Water Resources Committee was held for development in water related sectors, effective management and usage of water resources, to support effective cooperation with international organizations, effective coordination in overcoming difficulties faced when implementing water resource sector work and to coordinate and discuss future work processes.

Most of the discussions and decisions made in the past meetings were implemented and those remaining will be implemented. For the decisions of the past meetings that remain to be implemented, ministries and organizations need to do their utmost to coordinate with their work plans and projects said the Vice President.

National Water Resources Committee successfully hosted the Third Asia-Pacific Water Summit in 2017. Subject wise discussions were held in the summit and the result of the event was the Yangon Declaration.

It is an honor and a historical milestone for all of us that the Third Asia-Pacific Water Summit was successfully held in Myanmar.

In continuing the water sector all round development for the country, the National Water Resources Committee need to consider implementing the points included in the Yangon Declaration made at the Third Asia-Pacific Water Summit and the United Nations’ International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028.

Annually celebrating the World Water Day that falls on 22 March is one of the activities of the National Water Resources Committee and for World Water Day 2018, seminars, talks and exhibitions will be held in Nay Pyi Taw on 22 February.

The committee will cooperate with international organizations in capacity building works and works that are beneficial to the country said the Vice President.

All are urged to discuss effective suggestions and coordination required on works related to water conducted by ministerial organizations including states/regions and in cooperating with international organizations.

Present at yesterday’s meeting were committee members Union Ministers Lt-Gen Ye Aung, U Ohn Win, U Win Khaing and U Kyaw Win, Deputy Ministers U Kyaw Myo and U Soe Aung, Permanent Secretaries, directors general, water experts, committee secretary, committee advisory group members and officials.

National Water Resources Committee members are urged to strive together toward performing the duties, responsibilities and future works of the committee, works that are beneficial to the people, international cooperation and mitigating the danger of water related natural disasters and the successful implementation of an effective water resource management system for the country and the people.

Afterwards, the committee secretary Director-General of the Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of Rivers Systems U Tun Lwin Oo and National Water Resources Committee advisory group secretary Dr. Khin Ni Ni Thein explained the works of the committee and the advisory group.

National Water Resources Committee members Union Ministers Lt-Gen Ye Aung, U Ohn Win, U Win Khaing and U Kyaw Win, Deputy Minister U Soe Aung, Permanent Secretaries, directors-general and officials discussed by respective sectors on works done, cooperation and decisions of the past meetings and suggested by sectors on the future works for the National Water Resources Committee.

Vice President U Henry Van Thio remarked that discussion and suggestions made at the meeting support the all-round management of water resources. Coordination is required for development of water related sectors and international cooperation is to be increased, said the Vice President. —Myanmar News Agency

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar