Priority must be given to successfully implement projects on the sufficiency of drinking water in PyinOoLwin District and Town­ship through the quick win plan.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing gave guidance that PyinOoLwin must be shaped as a green city, a clean city and at smart city.

A coordination meeting on water sup­ply, agriculture and greening projects in PyinOoLwin District and Township in Mandalay Region took place at the meet­ing hall of National Landmarks Garden in PyinOoLwin yesterday morning, with an address by Chairman of the State Admin­istration Council, Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Speaking at the meeting, the Senior General pointed out that priority must be given to successfully implementing sufficiency of drinking water projects in PyinOoLwin District and Township through the quick win plan.

He said that it is necessary to con­sider the benefited areas, population and future population in planning the con­struction of dams.

He stressed the need to reclaim ag­riculture and livestock zones with consid­eration of water availability, the potential for the construction of production roads and other basic factors.

The Senior General underlined that as the population is growing in PyinOoL­win Township year after year due to fa­vourable climatic conditions and oppor­tunities to purchase fresh crops at fair prices, authorities need to supply drinking and agricultural water to residents of PyinOoLwin by seeking water sources.

He gave guidance that PyinOoLwin must be shaped as a green city, a clean city and a smart city, adding it is neces­sary to preserve the fine traditions of PyinOoLwin dubbed as the city of flowers while continuously conserving domestic flower species with more plans to shape the township as a cherry city under sys­tematic cultivation of cherry trees.

He stressed that efforts must be made to systematically produce Arabica coffee for export purposes, as it is mar­ketable across the world.

Regarding the development of the PyinOoLwin region, he noted that it is primarily the responsibility of residents and those currently serving duties in the area to take the lead with the assistance of the government.

Moreover, the Senior General under­scored that there is a need to establish an Elder Body consisting of elderly individ­uals who were born and have long lived in PyinOoLwin in order to help preserve the traditions and heritage of the region and offer advice on matters essential for the region’s development.

He urged officials at different levels to systematically manage the efficient utilization of land in various grades in the entire nation.

In order to conserve forests and the natural environment, he highlighted that practices of slash-and-burn farming must be eliminated on a nationwide scale.

Moreover, the Senior General high­lighted that it is necessary to conduct research to identify existing paddy fields that can be transformed into high-yield farmland and reclaimed into highland farmlands.

He guided that since PyinOoLwin is a city that attracts many local and interna­tional travellers, those from the tourism sector need to contribute to regional de­velopment by providing the best possible services to visitors by offering fresh and clean local produce, food items, and tra­ditional regional cuisine.

He continued that government minis­tries and departments must be models for residents in applying the practice of good habits on separating and disposing of waste properly for the cleanliness, pleas­antness, and beautification of regions, states, cities, and villages.

At the ceremony, Union ministers and the Mandalay Region chief minis­ters reported on implementation of the guidance given by the Senior General to ensure sufficiency of drinking water in Py­inOoLwin District and Township, findings in research and surveys on more storage of water in dams, upgrading of dams and water sources, supply of water to Py­inOoLwin residents, operating agriculture and livestock zones, forest coverage of the township, year-wise forestation process for greening the city, and improvement of road facilities.

Also, present at the meeting were Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, Council Member, Deputy Prime Min­ister and Union Minister for Defence Gen­eral Maung Maung Aye, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Command­er-in-Chief, the commander of Central Command, departmental personnel and officials from PyinOoLwin District and Township. — MNA/TTA