Dam projects with India scrapped
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The Myanmar and Indian governments have terminated two hydroelectric projects with capacity of 2,080 megawatts on the Chindwin River due to the environmental and social impacts.
Both the Htamanthi hydropower project with an installed capacity of 1,200MW and Shwezaye hydropower project with 880MW were to be built in the Chindwin River, one of the country's major rivers and a tributary of the Ayeyawady River.
On June 7, the Energy Business Review website quoted a source as saying that Myanmar Environmental Conservation and Forestry Minister Win Tun did not support the project, which people rejected due to negative impacts on the environment.
Both Myanmar and India agreed to suspend the project after consideration of their economic viability as well as potential social and environment impacts, the website quoted an industry source as saying.
The two projects in the Chindwin River in Sagaing region were to be financed by India. Some 80 per cent of electricity from the Htamanthi project was to be sold to India.
“It is good to hear those projects were halted. Dams of 50 feet in height can pose no danger. But those over 50 feet in height are dangerous. Small dam projects will benefit people as they have no environmental impact,” said forestry expert U Ohn.
The Htamanthi project was located Homalin township and the Shwezaye project is in Kani township.
The 263-foot-high Htamanthi dam was to have 16,780 square miles of inundated area. It was targeted to irrigate 1 million acres of land.
Some villagers would be displaced by the projects and local residents also raised concerns over displacements.
Rohingya ‘refuse to relocate'
Rohingya people in Rakhine state have rejected a local government plan to relocate them after being manipulated by unknown elements, according to a Rakhine state government statement.
Initially, the Rohingya agreed orally to move to a designated location but they later resisted the plan when the local government tried to implement it, the statement said.
“There might be some manipulators against the relocation. It seems the group goes against all the government’s wishes. It's so difficult to deal with them,” said Hla Thein, the chairman of the Rakhine state government's Information and Records Committee, at a press conference on June 6.
The Rakhine government still finds it difficult to relocate the Rohingya refugees to newly built housing in the state, as the monsoon has arrived.
An official population assessment to find out who are real refugees in need of relocation has also been suspended due to the difficulties.
Abe visit spurs property prices
Real estate development projects near Thilawa port in Yangon will be kicked off shortly in the wake of the recent visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, sources said.
Land prices in the industrial zone have risen from 200 million to 250-300 million kyats per plot.
“Now the price is going up. There is almost no sellers now, only buyers. Yangon apartment prices are also skyrocketing along with foreign investments. It's estimated that the prices will go up by 20 to 30 per cent soon,” said Khin Maung Aye, an official from the Myanmar Real Estate Association (MREA).
The property prices there started rising slowly at the end of last year and then gained momentum after Abe's visit on May 25.
“The rising prices can upset foreign investments. It can also bring up inflation. Myanmar needs more infrastructure and industrial zones. The government should deal with the land price issue,” said Than Oo, managing director for Mandaing Real Estate Company.
The Thilawa SEZ development project is expected to be complete by 2015.
