Forest conservation works: MoNREC UM inspected forest conservation works

The Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Khin Maung Yi together with Shan State Chief Minister U Aung Aung visited Haung Leik Forest Nursery Garden in Tachileik Township, Shan State (East) in the afternoon on 10th March the responsible officials clarified the district and Township Forest data and work implementation.

The Union Minister gave necessary instructions saying that the forest coverage in Tachileik District was 67.39% in 2015 and increased 89.60% in 2020 and the broadleaf forest expanded at 40.92%. It’s needed to protect existing forests for the sustainability, expansion of forest reserves and public forest reserves, Anti-Illegal timbering with momentum and the Union Minister inspected nurturing 72,000 saplings to distribute in 2024 Monsoon Season Tree Plantings and public plantings.

Next, the Union Minister, Shan State Chief Minister, State Ministers and officials attended the meeting on mitigation and controlling Transboundary Haze Pollution held at Aung Myat Hall in Tachileik Township.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister said that this meeting is held in order to coordinate among the relevant departments and the local residents for mitigation and controlling Transboundary Haze Pollution.

It’s important to collaborate among the departments and local people to prevent wild fire, recycling of straw stubble and agricultural wastes as natural fertilizer instead of burning them, substitution of slash and burn agriculture with other agricultural methods and prevention from reckless burning.

According to the Air Quality Indexes in colors, as the air quality at the indexes of purple and maroon color can extremely damage the health, the prevention and controlling should be carried out not to break out the fire hotspots. Currently, as the air quality of Tachileik Township is in Red, it’s needed the great attention etc.

Next, the Director General of the Department of Environmental Conservation clarified the dangers of air pollution on the human’s health, the causes of fire in Myanmar, quantity of fire breakings, status of transboundary haze pollution and the implementation for the controlling and the future work plans in detail with Power point presentation.

Then, the Shan State Chief Minister gave necessary instructions regarding with mitigation and controlling Transboundary Haze Pollution.

Consequently, the Chairmen of District Committee for prevention and controlling fire breaking clarified the collaboration with related organizations, issuance of local order not to burn forest/slash and burn of agriculture and conducting awareness campaigns.

After giving a speech of conclusion, the Union Minister cordially greeted the attendees. In the afternoon, the Union Minister and Chief Minister arrived at mining sites in Nayaung (နားယောင်း) Village-tract, Talay Sub-Township, heard the clarification on the work implementation and gave necessary instruction.

The Union Minister and party also inspected the operation of Carbon In Pulp (CIP) factory to mitigate the mining waste and environmental damages and the work implementations in the mining sites.