Taungup Twsp islanders unable to grow paddy on farmlands inundated by seawater

By DMG 16 Aug 2022

DMG Newsroom
16 August 2022, Taungup 

Local farmers in Magyitaw and Ahmaw villages on Taungup Township’s Pantin Island say they are unable to cultivate paddy on dozens of acres of farmland damaged by seawater. 

Of the more than 320 acres of land in these two villages, more than 100 acres have been inundated with seawater since 2020. 

A proposal to construct a dam to prevent seawater from entering the farmland was submitted to the government in 2020, but it has not been implemented, said Ko Chit Kyaw, a resident of Magyitaw village. 

“Concerned officials made a field survey, but it has not been built yet. We submitted a proposal to the General Administration Department, Irrigation Department and the chief minister to construct a dam to prevent seawater from entering the farmland,” he explained. 

There are about 12 villages on Pantin Island. A dyke was built in the fiscal year 2018-2019, from the local government’s budget, to prevent seawater from entering the fields. 

“We have already submitted a proposal to the Irrigation Department to build [another] dyke,” said U Han Shwe, the administrator of Ngamaukchaung village-tract. “If the Irrigation Department builds a dyke, the local farmers will be able to plough their farmlands. Government officials also made field surveys to the island.” 

In the past, there was no seawater entering the village thanks to dykes that were built on a self-reliant basis, but these dykes have been deteriorating year after year, according to local residents. 

Residents say that not only the farmland but perennial fruit trees are also damaged by the seawater. Locals are also having difficulties accessing drinking water.