The Burmese authorities have permitted cutting of teak to a company in Kanpalet township whereas local people have received poverty aid as the economic condition of 74 percent is appalling in Chin state.
Although the local people in Kanpalet township had requested deriving some benefits from cutting teak by Ma-Naw-Phew-Sin AK company in Lepo tract group in Kanpalet early this year, the company said that government has already given Kyat one thousand lakh to local people and they have no claim to get benefits from the timber business.
A local said, “We had told the concerned authority, we don’t like taking of the wood by the company and not be given any profit to the local people, but they told us that we had already received poverty aid of Kyat one thousand lakh.”
“It is not fair. It is akin to deceiving us it cannot help alleviate poverty and boils down to a dirty trick,” said a Member of Parliament of Chin state.
A report said that Ma-Naw-Phew-Sin AK company officials are related to MP Tu Yah Aung in Kanpalet constituency, and the authority is therefore afraid to take action against felling teak.
It is estimated that there are about 4,000 to 10,000 tons of teaks in the area and the timber felling business will go on in the next year.