Power China in Kyaukphyu criticized for lacking transparency

Narinjara News, February 11, 2022

Power China company, which has been constructing a hydroelectric power plant at Ohn Taw village under  Kyaukphyu township in Rakhine State, faces criticism for the lack of transparency.

The construction started early this year on Kyaukphyu creek with 44 acres of farmland.

However, environmental activists allege that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) reports have not been made public. The company is constructing a dam on thecreek to generate electricity and sell to local people.

Ko Tun Win Soe, a resident of Ohn Taw village, stated that the locals had put forward six points to the company management. Those included the mitigation of annual flood waves that inundate the village and the farmland. 

“We demand transparency in this project,” said the resident.

Meanwhile, the Kyaukphyu creek has been blocked  and it spreads apprehension about the residents and their farm lands in Ohn Taw and Seik Chaung Pyin villages. If the crops are damaged due to inundation and their fish & shrimp cultivation is also affected, it will affect their livelihood.

U Pho San, a former State lawmaker from Kyaukphyu  township asserted that he was against the construction.

"I would like to ask the authority to explain about the project first. Local people are being engaged in disposing of the waste. Anyhow there must be some accountability about the project,” he added.

In the earlier days, natural gas was extracted in those areas and supplied to the Chinese’s Yunnan province. The locals are also not happy  with increasing foreign investments as it hardly provides them jobs and it has not brought benefits to the local villagers.