Nat’l Water Resources Committee: SAC Chairman addressed the committee meeting

Chairman of National Water Resources Committee (NWRC) Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivered an address at the committee meeting (1/2023) held at the meeting hall of SAC Chairman Office, Nay Pyi Taw in the morning on Tuesday.

Also present at the meeting were the vice chair of the National Water Resources Committee Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Transport and Communications Admiral Tin Aung San, committee members Union Ministers, Chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, committee secretary and officials and the Regions and States Chief Ministers attended the meeting via Video Conferencing.

In his opening remark, SAC Chairman Prime Minister said this meeting is held for the sustainable development of the water resources in the whole country, to coordinate among the ministries and organizations to strengthen comprehensive management of water resources and utilize the water resources effectively, for the continuation of the implementating work process of the National Water Resources Committee. Water is the best gift of the nature.

As the Water is a renewable energy and cost-effective hydro-electric power generating is being used worldwide. Water is the very precious resource and needed to use as long as the beings including generations of human beings are existed. Myanmar posseses second largest water resource after Indonesia among the ASEAN countries and it stands at five after China, India, Indonesia and Bangladesh in Asian countries.

A total of 800 million cubic feet acres is flowing through the four rivers and creeks and ponds, but only 5% of fresh water can be used in agriculture, household and industries. So, there are potentials for the water resource based economic investment. Thus, its’ important to manage the water resources systematically, to implement the sustainable development to protect the forests in watershed areas and from water pollution.

The National Water Resources Committee needs to set the policies for the development of water sector, to acquire sufficient drinking water for urban and rural areas and irrigation water, fresh water for the use of industries, to stress not to disposal of garbage into the rivers and creeks and to dispose the waste water after doing systematic water treatment. In today’s meeting, the committee needs to discuss collectively how to solve the shortage of water suffering in the regions and states, carry out for the socio-economic development and the prosperity of the country and the food security, development of water sector for the benefits of the country and the people, systematic implementation of comprehensive water resources management, effective cooperation with international families.

Next, the Vice Chair of the National Water Resources Committee clarified the formation of the committee, objectives and duties assigned and the committee secretary explained the activities on the water sector, implementation for the acquiring water and the future plans.

Then, the Union Ministers, Chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, Chief Ministers of Regions and States and Mayors clarified the water related work implementations, undertakings for the development of river system, development of water resources, international cooperation, water quality testing, river water pumping, distribution of drinking water and irrigation waters and the plans for the development of water resources. In responding to the clarifications, the SAC Chairman Prime Minister gave necessary instructions.

In the conclusion, the SAC Chairman Prime Minister stressed the need to implement solar powered river water pumping projects at the both sides of four major rivers such as Ayeyawady, Chindwin, Sittaung and Thanlwin Rivers and carry out for the development of double and triple cropping, to do arrangement for the containment of water flowing in vain with embankment system etc.