A large rock quarry near Paung Village in Paingkyon Township, Karen State has contaminated drinking water sources and caused widespread health issues amongst people living in nearby communities, including children.
Paung Village is in Hpa-An District, an area mainly controlled by Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade 7.
Significant amounts of rock dust have polluted nearby lakes and wells used for drinking water. Many children consuming the contaminated water have suffered from allergies, diarrhoea, skin rashes, and respiratory diseases, according to a KNU village healthcare department official.
He added that whilst adults are also affected, the impact is far more severe on children.
He said to KIC: “Children are getting diarrhoea because their drinking water sources are not clean. Adults, with naturally stronger immune systems, are experiencing fewer health problems from the water pollution compared to children. Many children are showing signs of respiratory illnesses, including shortness of breath. Stethoscope examinations have revealed indications of mild lung damage in some cases. Runny noses, coughs, allergies, and severe skin rashes are also common among affected children.”
An agreement was reached between a local environmental conservation committee and the quarry's management to close the quarry by May 2025, following a meeting that villagers also attended in Paung Village, on 15 October 2024. The agreement also stipulated regulations that the quarry would have to adhere to during its remaining period of operation.
But the quarry failed to comply with the initial agreement and a second agreement containing amendments had to be signed a month after the first, according to an official from the local environmental conservation committee.
He said: “The second contract was signed on 14 November after mutual negotiations on the terms. The new agreement also includes provisions for conducting field inspections at the quarry.”
Locals have written to the KNU’s district-level officials and relevant organisations, complaining that the quarry's impact has damaged their farms, caused health problems, and raised safety concerns.
A Karen Women's Organisation (KWO) official from Paingkyon Township urged the relevant authorities to close the quarry as soon as possible because it is causing environmental damage and endangering the health of local children.
This is the only quarry in the area, but over the years it has expanded. It employs migrant workers from other regions of Myanmar and locals claim this has made the area more unsafe for women.
