The government needs to take action against a company for failing to finish a water distribution project it was commissioned to complete in Chin State’s capital, Hakha, said a parliamentarian for Matupi Township.
Awng Liang, an MP from Chin National League for Democracy, told Khonumthung News that locals are paying the price after the company withdrew from the project before completion. The fact that a minister and another high-ranking official resigned from their post after the fiasco is of little consequence, explained the MP.
“The government needs to resolve this issue…the chief minister said that he’s transparent and accountable..we don’t want this problem to be transferred to the next government.”
The Thee Myit Dam and water storage ponds were started by the Thein Sein government in 2014 with a budget of 9 billion kyat ($6.7M). The NLD government paid 2.9 billion kyat ($2.2M) for a water distribution project to send the water from the storage ponds to Hakha. But KMDL and Mogok Shwe Yee companies didn’t finish the project on schedule and then pulled out.
Pyay Min proposed resolving the issue during a Parliamentary session from December 3-4. MPs voted in favor of finishing the water distribution project before the new government takes office.
Awng Liang wants the government to prosecute KMDL and Mogok Shwe Yee because the project has already cost $2.2M yet remains unfinished.
In 2018, a parliamentarian for Thangtlang township also suggested taking action against the companies, but the Chin State government decided to allow more time to finish the dam and water distribution project.
Soe Htet, minister for Municipal, Electricity and Industry, assured Khonumthung News that KMDL and Mogok Shwe Yee will be fined for not completing it on time. “We already told the companies to finish the project and transfer the project to the general administration department (GAD) so the GAD officer can transfer it to the municipal department. After the municipal department completes an audit, he explained the government will prosecute the companies if they don’t return whatever funds that are owed.