Vice
President U Henry Van Thio, Chairman of the Central Committee for the
Development of the National Tourism Industry, inspected the Myogyi reservoir
and Myogyi hydropower station and gave a speech at a ceremony for returning
abandoned lands by the Mandalay International Airport, Department of Civil
Aviation, under the Ministry of Transport and Communications, in TadaU Township
in Mandalay Region yesterday.
The
Vice President was accompanied by deputy ministers Maj-Gen Aung Thu, U Hla Kyaw
and U Kyaw Myo, Shan State ministers, and the Chairman of the Leading Body of
Danu Self-Administered Zone, as he inspected the Myogyi reservoir in Ywangan
Township, Shan State yesterday morning.
The
Vice President was then shown documentary videos about Myogyi and Zawgyi
reservoirs and their irrigation distribution process, as well as the
construction of Kyaingkham reservoir.
Next,
Director-General U Kyaw Myint Hlaing of the Department of Irrigation and Water
Utilisation Management explained about the waterlogging process in the Meiktila
plains.
It
is reported that the combined waterflow from Myogyi and Zawgyi reservoirs
produces 30 MW of electricity and provides irrigation to 82,000 acres of Zawgyi
irrigated cultivation in Kyaukse District and to the 33,000 acres in Meiktila
plains.
Once
the Kyaingkham reservoir is complete, it will be able to hold 1.15 million-acre
feet of water and provide 700,000-acre feet to Zawgyi irrigation cultivation
system and 450,000-acre feet to Pyaungpyar Ngalaizin irrigation system.
The
Vice President then inspected the machinery and interior of the Myogyi
hydropower station, which is equipped with two 15 MW generators with a capacity
to produce 135 million units annually to the national power grid.
Next,
the Vice President travelled through the Zawgyi river to the confluence where
the Thitmami stream flows in and inspected the potential for developing
community-based tourism in the neighboring villages.
During
the inspection, the Vice President said Myanmar has abundant natural landscapes
and beauty that can attract tourists. The area surrounding the Myogyi reservoir
is a gift from nature with the potential to attract tourists, he said. He
instructed that the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, the Shan State Government,
the Danu Self-Administered Zone, and tourism-oriented organizations should
collaborate to implement community-based tourism and nature tourism projects.
The
Vice President, as the Chairman of the Central Committee for Reviewing
Confiscated Farmlands and Other Lands, attended a ceremony held in Innwa Hall
in TadaU Township for the second returning of abandoned land connected to the
Mandalay International Airport, in Kyaukse District, Mandalay Region. During
the ceremony, 3,019.44 acres of abandoned land were returned to their original
owners, who were also given temporary work permits (Form-3).
In
his speech delivered at the ceremony, the Vice President said the Mandalay
International Airport will only retain the actual amount of land it needs and
give back the remaining land to their rightful owners. He said 9,055 acres were
returned in the first batch in 2014 and 3,830 acres were scrutinized before
returning 3,019.44 acres to the original 1,087 villagers in this second batch.
The
Vice President said there have been cases of farmland confiscated from local
villagers for various urban, departmental and private projects that have
worsened the livelihoods of the villagers, which is why the incumbent
government is working in line within the law to administer justice with simple
policies and processes so as to solve these issues.
He
said four confiscated lands reviewing groups were formed with deputy ministers
from union ministries to respond to reports of confiscated lands and to strengthen
reviewing them. On-ground inspection in states and regions reveal that the
Lands Reviewing Committees at the ward, village and township levels are not
properly organized, nor are they fully aware of the 52 policies set by the
central committee. The Vice President urged proper composition of the various
levels of the Lands Reviewing Committees.
The
central committee negotiates with relevant ministries to either relinquish
lands, confiscated for projects that have not been implemented as planned, to their
rightful owners, or to provide compensation, said the Vice President.
The
Vice President said some cases of returning confiscated lands are being
hindered due to a number of reasons including delayed return of ownership for
land abandoned by ministries, relayed ownership to an entity other than the
rightful owner, disputes between the original successor and current successor,
and clearing of squatters.
The
Vice President said Mandalay Region has conducted six ceremonies for returning
confiscated lands, including the present one, making it the region with the
most return rate among all states and regions. He expressed his gratitude to
the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Mandalay Region government and
various departmental officials for making the returning of land to the original
owners possible. He also told the villagers to work hard and invest in their
rightful land for an adequate food supply and eventually producing items for
foreign exports.
This
was followed by an explanation from the Mandalay Region Chief Minister on the
processes involved in swiftly returning confiscated lands to their rightful
owners in Mandalay Region.
U
Myint Htay, Director of the Department of Civil Aviation, then transferred the
documents pertaining to the abandoned lands to the Kyaukse District
Administrator.
Next,
the Mandalay Region Chief Minister, deputy ministers Maj-Gen Aung Thu, U Hla
Kyaw and U Kyaw Myo, and the Mandalay Region Minister for Agriculture,
Livestock and Irrigation U Soe Than conferred temporary work permits (Form-3)
to representatives of the original landowners from Pantin, Sagarinn, Zeechaung,
and Thungetaw villages.
U
Tun Lwin, a representative, expressed thanks on behalf of the villagers who
received the temporary work permits and the ceremony came to a close.
Myanmar
News Agency
Ref;
The Global New Light of Myanmar
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