Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing held separate meetings with departmental personnel at different levels at the city hall in Taunggyi and at the meeting hall of the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone in Hopong, Shan State (South) to talk about the earthquake disaster and regional development measures.

At the hall of the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone in Hopong, Chairman of the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone Administration Body U Khun Ye Htwe reported on the number of injured people in townships of the zone in the earthquake, the loss and damage of infrastructure, the potential for rebuilding, and plans to reconstruct religious buildings and pagodas in the precinct of Thiri Mingala Shwechantha Mwedaw Pagoda in Hopong.

In his speech, the Senior General revealed that till this morning, a total of 3,649 people were dead, 5,018 injured and 145 missing due to the Mandalay earthquake. He pledged to provide K1 million each to dead persons caused by the earthquake. Other loss and damage mentioned more than 60,000 residential houses, 2,366 schools, 3,514 monasteries and nunneries, 5,620 pagodas and 291 hospitals and clinics across the nation.

He continued that search and rescue operations were carried out with difficulties to save lives trapped in the collapsed and damaged buildings. Foreign rescue teams poured out their utmost efforts in rescue and relief measures.

The Senior General highlighted that the government emphasizes the improvement of transportation facilities into normality as rapidly as possible. Likewise, efforts are being made to open schools on time whereas arrangements are being made to give shelter to earthquake victims before monsoon season.

The Senior General stressed the need to supply sufficient drinking water to the people in addition to systematic conservation of watershed forests.

He underscored that as the government will need a large sum of money to be spent on rehabilitation of the earthquake-affected areas, it is necessary to increase export volume to generate foreign exchange. Hence, the Senior General urged authorities of Shan State (South) and Pa-O Self-Administered Zone to increase export volume through agricultural and livestock farming tasks.

He pointed out that it is necessary to organize students to attend schools at a cent per cent rate and efforts must be made to raise the high rate of changing student grading in the coming academic year.

The Senior General disclosed that the government has adopted a policy on rehabilitation to have better buildings, roads and bridges than in the past and shape more developed cities. Moreover, he urged all to cooperate in successfully holding a free and fair election in coming December.

Also present at the meetings were Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, council members, Union ministers, the chief minister of Shan State, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and officials.

In Hopong, the Senior General inspected the maintenance of the spring and water tank at Hopong Spring.

While in Hopong, he paid homage to Thiri Mingala Shwechantha Mwedaw Pagoda and then Hoko Monastery Sayadaw Bhaddanta Vijaya and supplicated repair of damaged parts at the pagoda, and long-term existence of the structures. He donated cash to the overall renovation of the pagoda through the Pagoda Board of Trustees.

The Senior General viewed damaged religious buildings in the precinct of the pagoda and gave instructions to officials.

At the University of Computer Studies (Taunggyi), the Senior General heard reports on the damage to the main lecture buildings, lecture halls, student hostels and staff housings caused by the earthquake presented by the pro-rector.

The Senior General noted that as the three-storey building was severely damaged by the earthquake, it is necessary to systematically demolish the building. Priority must be given to the construction of the new building meeting the set standards for strengthening and safety.

In the afternoon, the Senior General inspected the site chosen for the construction of the gymnasium at Pa-O National Development Ground and gave necessary guidance to officials.

MNA/TTA

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