10 June

Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Ohn Win inspected the thriving trees of the 50-acre village fuel-wood plantation at Mondaing forest reserve in Meiktila Township in Mandalay Region yesterday. The plantation was established by Arid Zone Greening Department.

At the plantation, the Union Minister spoke of the need to distribute fuel-wood to the villages, replace young trees killed by excessive summer heat with the new ones of the same age, to work in accord with the departmental procedures, to systematically keep the records, and to transfer duties of the plantation in-charges systematically.

Accompanied by Pyithu Hluttaw Representative of Kyaukpadaung Township U Shwe Ko, and Amyotha Hluttaw Representative of Kyaukpadaung and NyaungU Township Constituency U Kyaw Tok, the Union Minister inspected a special greening plantation at milepost 48/0 on Meiktila-Kyaukpadaung road. The Union Minister said that as the plantation was a public recreation place, efforts must be made for its long-term existence. He stressed the need to replace the dead trees with the new ones as soon as the monsoon started, and to build mini dams.

In the afternoon, the Union Minister and party inspected a nursery in NyaungU Township and pointed out the need to conduct test plantation of trees with strong and deep roots at the nursery of the Arid Zone Greening Department. The program to grow deep-root trees is being jointly conducted by Forest Department and Japan International Forest ry Promotion and Cooperation Center.

During inspection of Chaukphayahla permanent nursery in the Township, the Union Minister urged officials to grow evergreen species, to replace matured trees with saplings, and to replant the matured trees at a designated place. In the evening, he visited Palin Kanthaya Elephant Camp on NyaungU-Myintgyan road. After hearing a report presented by the camp in-charge, the Union Minister looked into requirements in providing satisfactory services for the public, collecting necessary material for a new bridge that is suitable for people to enjoy the cool breeze and finishing the elephant museum before the onset of monsoons.

Afterwards, the Union Minister and party inspected a community plantation jointly established by the Forest Department and the Japan International Forest ry Promotion and Cooperation Center. During the visit, the Union Minister said stakes should be driven in to mark the trees killed by high summer heat, so that new samplings could be planted in their places. Plantations should begin as soon as the soil got enough water, and staff should be assigned with specific duties. The Union Minister also held open discussions with the public, and looked into their requirements. MNA (Translated by TMT)