The Dam Project Committee has initiated the collection of funds for construction of a dam in Hakha Town, the capital of Chin state in Western Burma from last month.
According to Pu Joel Ling, who is one of the committee members, the committee was established in Hakha and Yangon, the former capital of Burma in the middle of this year. Construction work to build a dam on the Nawi River, a mile from Hakha town has begun. The committee also sold a calendar for 2009, advertising the location of the river in a bid to garner donations for construction of the dam.
The committee divided the local people into three categories. The first category is selling ad space for the calendar for one lakh kyat, the second category for 50000 kyat and the third category for 10000 kyat, said Pu Ni Kung, another committee member.
"The calendars are being sold from door to door especially in Hakha Town by the committee. The committee hopes that sales will continue and the income would be spent for the initial construction work," he said.
Moreover, the committee has invited Chin people staying in foreign countries to donate funds for the construction of the dam. Currently, the fund was around Kyat 200 lakh, which would be used to hire engineers, who in turn would figure out the details of the construction requirements, he added.
The people of Chin state are totally dependent on water from wells and fountains, which dry up during summer. The water crisis would be solved for 70% of the people of Hakha Town, if the dam is built across the river. It can serve a population of almost 3 lakh.
"Initially, we had submitted this project to the Minister of Chin State Hydro-electricity, but it was rejected as there were no funds for it. We, therefore, decided to construct at least the foundation by ourselves. We will re-submit the project to the authorities after we have finished part of the construction," Ling said.
In Chin state, there is no systematic water supply and water connection, so the people face problems related to water every season, especially in the rural areas. In the cities, some people are supplied with water, but most people in Chin state go through a water crisis every year.
