Dokhtawady River resorts still waiting for expansion plan OK
Source: The Myanmar Times
Date: 2 February, 2018
Many small resorts on the Dokhtawady River in Pyin Oo Lwin township, Mandalay Region, are still waiting for approval of plans to expand into surrounding farmland, said officials of the Mandalay Region Hluttaw Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Committee.
They said the committee is working with the Security, Management, and Development Committee to inspect the resorts after complaints were received recently about resorts built on the riverbank.
"We carryied out inspections after complaints about the 3-Mile, 5-Mile, 6-Mile, and 7-Mile resorts on the Dokhtawady River, and found that only the 7-Mile resort had permission to use farmland for expanding their businesses.
"Others [resort] applications are still being processed. Construction can only begin after being approved, but buildings are being constructed without approval, which is against the law," U Zaw Zaw Aung, committee secretary and Hluttaw MP for Mahar Aung Myay township, told The Myanmar Times.
A report of their findings will be submitted to the Hluttaw and the government, said U Maung Maung Aye, a member of the Security, Management, and Development Committee and MP for Myittayar township.
Construction projects on the Dokhtawady River can only start after beeing submitted to the Mandalay Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems, so unapproved buildings are demolished, said an official of the directorate.
The resorts lack authorisation to use the farmland for any other purposes than farming.
"Five-Mile, 6-Mile, and 7-Mile resorts submitted requests to use water resources. The proposals must be examined by relevant departments. to make sure that structures and retaining walls built near the river do not extend into the river.
Seven-Mile has built a small island in the middle of the river that was not approved, so they have been asked to destroy it," said U Toe Aung Lin, director of Mandalay Water Resources and River Development.
