Officials from the military junta’s Mon State chief minister’s office are carrying out on-the-ground campaigns to persuade local residents to accept a coal project planned in Chaungzon Township, despite strong opposition from nearby villages, according to local sources.
Residents from Dayei and Kalwi villages have formally submitted letters to the junta’s state government opposing the coal project. However, locals said their concerns have been ignored, while officials continue efforts to push the project forward.
Land acquisition for the coal project between Dayei and Kalwi villages began in June 2024, with hundreds of acres purchased. In response, local residents objected to the project, and a group of monks from Chaungzon led a public opinion survey on the coal plant.
According to a local resident, nearly 1,000 people from Dayei and Kalwi villages participated in the survey, with the majority rejecting the coal project. The signed documents were submitted to the Mon State chief minister’s office.
“If residents did not agree with the project, they were asked to sign and provide their phone numbers. More than 980 people signed the petition. After we submitted it, officials came to Dayei village monastery and held talks,” a local resident said.
Although no formal response was given to the submitted documents, the Mon State chief minister and accompanying officials visited Dayei Mingala Monastery on December 6 and met with some residents.
Residents who attended the meeting said officials did not discuss local concerns. Instead, they promoted the project by claiming it would provide benefits to villagers and ensure a stable electricity supply once completed. Officials also explained plans to continue construction.
“They spoke for about an hour, reading out the project’s objectives and rules. The project has not started yet, but it is clear they plan to continue. People did not dare respond and just listened quietly,” a Dayei resident said.
As a result, locals said their concerns have increased, especially over potential environmental damage if the coal plant is built.
According to residents, the coal plant is planned near the Dayei River, north of the road connecting Dayei and Kalwi villages. Locals fear the project could cause long-term health problems and environmental harm.
The Chaungzon coal project has been implemented under the military junta’s Ministry of Border Affairs since 2023. Construction has already been completed on an 8,282-foot laterite road linking Kalwi village to Taungsun village in Dayei village tract, local sources said.
