The voice of local people has been largely left out of a state government report on Mawlamyine Cement Limited’s coal-fired power plant and cement factory operations, according to Kyaikmayaw Township residents.
The report was presented at the Pyithu Hluttaw, or House of Representatives, during the lower house’s second regular session on Monday.
The report’s findings, intended to inform the union-level government, were collected from MCL representatives and residents from around the project site on June 1 by a team of state government officials led by Dr. Min Kyi Win, Mon State’s Minister of Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation.
Data collection was reportedly precipitated by a petition containing 3,780 Pyartaung area residents’ signatures and submitted to President U Htin Kyaw and the Mon State Chief Minister and parliament in April, expressing local dissatisfaction with the project.
“To write the report, ministers held interviews with the company and with us. But they should include these findings from both sides. Now the report says only good things about the cement company,” said Ashin Thumana of the Thumanayarma monastery in Kyaikmayaw Township’s Kawdon Village.
Ashin Thumana added that members of the public only learned of the report’s findings when the minister presented them Monday, stating that residents plan to meet state government officials to discuss the report and reiterate opposition to MCL’s $400-million project.
“The report does include what the locals said. The report says in its assessment that the company has not had much contact with the public and does not explain their plans thoroughly to the public to ensure they understand,” said Dr. Min Kyi Win.
U Ohn Win, Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, presented the report and fielded several questions posed by Kyaikmayaw Township’s Pyithu Hluttaw representative.
“On June 1, the Mon State government team went to the field to check the area. They found that MCL needs 40 megawatts of electricity for their operations. In 2015, they set up two power stations to produce 20 megawatts. Findings show that the company is prepared to mitigate damage caused by the coal-fired power project,” said Minister U Ohn Win.
Dr. Min Kyi Win also said that the company will face charges if activities do not comply with union government regulations, and said that the public should be given more information about the plant’s operations.
MCL reportedly needs 49 megawatts to produce 5,000 tons of cement daily in its factory, planning to use coal and bio waste to generate 40 megawatts of power and the factory’s waste heat generator for the remaining 9 megawatts.
