Union Ministers inspect water infrastructure, cultural heritage in Mandalay Region

Union Minister for Border Affairs Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Tin Oo Lwin, Union Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Min Naung, and Mandalay Region’s Minister for Natural Resources U Shwe Zin inspected the drilling of 8-inch diameter tube-wells and the construction of Kyunkhingyi Reservoir 2 in Kyaukpadaung Township, Mandalay Region, yesterday morning. 

During the inspection, the Union ministers stressed the development of a water supply plan for urban area, and the plan for laying pipelines, encouraging residents to take responsibility for their maintenance. They also gave instructions on the construction of a 100,000-gallon-capacity water tank at the Kyunkhingyi reservoir under construction, the use of solar power to pump up water, and the supply of water to Kyaukpadaung. 

Following this, the Union ministers inspected the emerald lake maintenance in NyaungU Township. Officials explained the maintenance of the emerald lake, under the guidance of the Head of State, and growing of 779 trees on 239 patches by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation for the 5-year project of the 2024-2025 financial year. 

The officials also described paving of the 1 mile and 4 furlongs long concrete road and related works at Kontangyi Village by the Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Development, progress of the three furlongs long concrete road at the entrance to Pyaukseikpin Village, and the one mile and 2.3 furlongs long gravel road from the entrance to East Phwasaw Village to Zayawaiyi Lake. 

          The Union ministers then looked into Pyaukseikpin Lakes 1, 2, and 3, and Kyaukoh Lake, which were restored with funds from the Ministry of Border Affairs. They also toured Zayawaiyi Lake and Mingalar Lake 3, which were maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation. In accord with the Head of State’s guidance, they planned to plant tamarind and neem trees in the surrounding areas. 

Officials then explained the status of the gravel road construction leading to Ananda Temple. The Union ministers recommended joint research and maintenance of the Bagan era water management system. The Union ministers also viewed round dredging of ancient lakes in Bagan. 

The Union minister for Religious Affairs and Culture stated that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation would create topographic map data of all three waterways from detailed measurements and calculations. This data must be included in the State of Conservation report for the Bagan World Heritage Site.

They also visited the waterway from the northern moat of Bagan City to the Ayeyawady River and dredging of the Wetkyeein Creek.