A construction worker working for June Cement said: “Now they have started collecting sand. A building is being constructed to park vehicles and for workers to live in. I am only a basic worker so I don’t know when the factory will start its operation.”

Another company, MCL Cement, has already started building a cement factory in Kyaikmaraw Township. It is due to start operations by the middle of the year and will produce 5,000 tons of cement a year.

The planned June Cement factory will also produce 5,000 tons of cement a day, but according to locals the company has not held any negotiations with them or explained the advantages and disadvantages of the cement factory to local people.

Nai Tun Kyi from Maekaro Village said: “No explanations have been given to the local residents about building the factory. We heard that the cement factory will use coal power. If the waste produced from this factory flows into the Attaran Stream, the fish in the stream could become dangerous [for us to eat]. It could be dangerous for the people from the surrounding areas.”

Nai Shwe Win from the Pyar Taung Area Development Association said: “The company has not informed the local residents about the power source that will be used to operate the factory. If coal power is to be used, we would totally oppose it.”

He also said that the cement factory could negatively affect local society, health and agriculture and that that tremors from factory’s rock mining could structurally affect ancient pagodas, schools and people’s homes.

Locals said that June Cement had been buying farmland between Maekaro Village and Kawdon/Kawpanaw Village in Kyaikmaraw Township since before 2010 and that it now owns 700 acres of land.

The Myanmar Investment Commission granted June Cement permission to build the factory at meeting number 11/2016 on 25 March, 2016. Construction of the factory is due to start this month.

Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI