Myanmar deliberates on strategies to prevent landslide tragedy in northernmost state

Myanmar government is deliberating on introducing three strategies to prevent recurrence of landslide tragedy following the recent incidents caused by dump soil, official media reported Tuesday.

Deputy Minister of Mines U Than Tun Aung told the parliament on Monday that the three strategies will be banning jade mining in Lonkhin and Phakant areas, imposing curfew on the mine areas or putting the at-risk areas under martial law to enforce the rule of law there.

Landslide occurred two times in dump soil sites near Hpa-kant jade mining area during November-December, in which more than 100 people died.

The authorities blamed over-excavation of jade mining for the incidents.

Following the deadly landslide in Hpakant, the authorities have relocated 108 migrant miners in at risk areas to safer sites about 915 meters away from the nearest mounds of dump soil.

This year has witnessed eight similar incidents in the same area.

When miners began using heavy machinery to extract jade from mines in Myanmar in 2005, migrant workers across the country flew into the area to scavenge small jade stones from discarded soil.

There are around 200,000 squatters in Hpakant Township.

According to official figures till Nov. 30, 2015, 627 mining companies have been allowed to mine on 7,714 plots, while another 231 companies are mining through a win-win business system on 311 plots. Endit