Awareness Seminar : Standardizing iron and steel following earthquake

An awareness seminar on iron and steel standards was held in Mandalay on Saturday. The seminar comes in the wake of the destructive March 28 Mandalay earthquake. 

Union Minister for Industry Dr Charlie Than emphasized the urgent need for earthquake-resilient construction, calling for all buildings to meet minimum standards capable of withstanding a Richter 8.0 quake. He stressed the role of engineering, materials quality, and strict adherence to building codes in minimizing future disaster impacts. 

Discussions focused on improving the quality of construction-grade iron and steel products, especially those made locally by public and private enterprises. 

The seminar also reaffirmed the government’s goal to strengthen local steel production to meet national safety and quality requirements. In the afternoon, the Union Minister visited the Research Department in Pyin Oo Lwin to inspect preparations for food and wastewater quality testing. He instructed the facility be operational soon to support MSME businesses in upper Myanmar.