Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Ohn Win. Photo: MNA
Wildlife poaching and endangered algae were among the issues discussed at yesterday’s meeting of the Amyotha Hluttaw in Nay Pyi Taw.
U Mahn Law Moung of Constituency 8 in Chin State asked about programmes to prevent the poaching of wildlife in the area of Mount Victoria in the Natma Mountain in Mindat and Kanpetlet Townships. Responding to the question, Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Ohn Win said three types of work was conducted in the Natma Mountain National Park area — park patrols for rule of law and for protecting and conserving the bio diverse ecological system, educational meetings with locals and promotion of tourism to develop the socio economic status of the local population.
To prevent poaching and logging in the area, a camp staffed by personnel from the national park, local police force and township forest department was set up at the foot of Mount Victoria this fiscal year to conduct necessary prevention work. Depending upon the availability of funds and personnel, more camps will be set up, said the Union Minister.
U Win Aung of Sagaing State Constituency 3 then asked about plans to conserve and restore the declining production of Spirulina algae that is on the verge of becoming extinct in Twintaung Lake, one of the four natural lakes in an old volcano in Sagaing Region.
Spirulina, a blue-green algae that is rich in protein and widely used in traditional medicine, blooms naturally in lakes in Sagaing Region. Union Minister for Industry U Khin Maung Cho said Ministry of Industry was harvesting Spirulina algae from the four lakes and discovered water pH level dropping due to fresh water intrusion into Taungpyauk and Twintaung Lake. A team consisting of officials from Ministry of Industry, local and foreign experts conducted a survey and based on the findings, the Water Resources Utilisation Department in 2014 constructed a 1,000 ft concrete canal at the main crack line of an earthen canal for water pumped from Butalin River. This reduced the fresh water intrusion into the lake, resulting in reduction of the lake water level from 72 inches to 46.2 inches by July 2015, restoring the favourable conditions for algae formation. The northern part of the lake is the main source of fresh water intrusion and Ministry of Industry had put in sand bags to prevent this.
Similarly, Yaekharr Lake, where Spirulina algae is harvested, saw fresh water intrusion during the heavy rains of 2016 and 2017 from freshwater dams of nearby villages and entry of Tilapia fish, resulting in the lowering of the pH level in the lake. Only after dikes were built to prevent fresh water intrusion was the Spirulina algae harvesting restarted
The ministry is following the suggestions of experts to prevent the extinction of Spirulina algae and maintenance of the ecosystem around the area according to environmental conservation and protection laws, rules and environmental impact assessment methodologies as per the instruction of and guidance of the government and in coordination with relevant ministries and state government said the Union Minister.
Questions by U Bwe Khane of Chin State constituency 3, U Khin Myo Win of Taninthayi Region constituency 12 and Dr. San Maung Maung of Bago Region constituency 1 were then answered by Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Ohn Win and Nay Pyi Taw Council member U Aung Myin Tun.
Afterward, the Myanmar Company bill was submitted to the hluttaw by Deputy Minister for Planning and Finance U Maung Maung Win and Amyotha Hluttaw Bill Committee report on the bill was read by committee secretary Dr. Myat Nyana Soe.
Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker then announced the registration of hluttaw representative who want to discuss the bill.
Next, a report of the Amyotha Hluttaw committee on agriculture, livestock and aquaculture development was discussed by U Mya Min Swe of Magway Region constituency 9, U Kyaw Myint Oo of Mandalay Region constituency 10, U Kyaw Kyaw of Rakhine State constituency 4 and U Okka Min of Taninthayi Region constituency 8.
Committee member of Amyotha Hluttaw committee on agriculture, livestock and aquaculture development U Khin Win of Magway Region constituency 2 then tabled a motion for the hluttaw to accept the report and the hluttaw announced the acceptance of the report.
Also during yesterday’s meeting, a new Tatmadaw Amyotha Hluttaw representative, Brig-Gen. Tint Lwin, was sworn-in and signed-in by the Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than.
The 2nd Amyotha Hluttaw 5th regular session 31st day meeting is scheduled to be held on 24 July.
Thura Zaw
(Myanmar News Agency )