Villagers suffer from reservoir construction project

21 Jun 2019

Wuntha (Maungdaw) | DMG

20 June, Maungdaw

In order to supply water for Maungdaw town, Maungdaw Township Municipal Affairs initiated a reservoir construction project near Bawdigone village in January this year, but villagers are experiencing losses in their livelihood.

Villagers said that they suffer from the reservoir construction project because 17.10 acres of farmland owned by 13 farmers and 15 acres of land of community forestry in Bawdigone village were commandeered to build the reservoir.

“We have to relinquish the land to build the reservoir.  We have a community owned plantation where hard wood is grown. Our living depends on the plantation, so we want to get compensation for the land we lost,” U Hla Maung Oo, a local resident from Bawdigone village told the DMG.

The village has 50 acres of community forestry and more than 15 acres were used for building the reservoir. Hard wood such as Pyingatoe, Malaysia Padauk and Mahawgani are grown in the forest.

Ko Maung Nyunt, whose land is also included in the construction of the reservoir, said that villagers wanted to get compensation for their farmland and forest area that was requisitioned.

“We want compensation for the land we had to give up for the reservoir construction. We have depended on the land for our livelihood for more than 20 years. Now, we have to lose it for the construction of a reservoir,” he said.

In February, villagers requested Maungdaw Township General Administration Office to get compensation for the land included in the project but nothing happened, he added.