Hswar Dam to restore water for summer paddy: irrigation minister

6 Sep 18 - ​Hswar Dam, which inner wall of a spillway collapsed, will be restored water for summer paddy, said Dr Aung Thu, Union Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation during a press conference held at Thingaha Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw on September 5.

"The ministry will repair the dam at the end of rainy season at first and our state leaders instructed to repair partially to provide enough water for summer paddy. They instructed us to repair it as much as we can," said the union minister.

The amount of water stored in the dam annually is enough to provide over 70,000 acres of plantations and it is providing water enough for over 20,000 acres of paddy fields.

The ministry is spending more than K50 billion from its annual budget to repair the dams across the country.

He said, "The amount of water stored in the dam this year is only enough to provide 30,000 acres of plantations. The spillway collapsed soon after the water spilled into it. It is not posted immediate danger to people in lower areas as the dam was burst open. We are repairing the dam to store a little water in the dam. What I mean is we will build a seven-foot high wall instead of building a wall with the height of the dam. So we can keep water enough to provide 60,000 or 70,000 acres of summer paddy."

Flood occurred in Bago region due to the collapse of the spillway of Hswar Dam on August 29 and the ministry is implementing to reestablish paddy fields submerged in the flood, he said.

"We are implementing to replant 609 acres of paddy fields beside the expressway. It will be finished within four or five days," said the union minister.

The ministry will help farmers, who cannot replant the crops, to contact with companies to have income, he said.