Local people from the villages in the Pharlain region, Mon State, are opposed to participating in any Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) discussions for the planned OffShore Supply Base (OSB) project in Andin and Ywa-Thit- Ta-Min-Sake villages in Ye Township.

According to newspaper announcements, the Forever Thanlwin Ltd Company, based in Mon State planned a meeting with local people on November 14th as part of a required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) consultation prior to proceeding with the construction of the Offshore Supply Base (OSB).

However, on November 3rd, local people had gathered at Kuu-Katar village and agreed to reject the project and to boycott the EIA meeting.

“We do not agree with this project plan. We have rejected it at the beginning,” said Ma Ni Mar Oo, a member of the Andin Youth Organization.

Abbots from the Pharlain region, monks, Village Administrators, Village tracts community leaders, senior citizens, and youth from eight villages including Andin, Kuu-Katar, and Ywa Htit- Ta-Min-Sake had all assembled and agreed on the decision to reject the proposal and boycott the EIA meeting, added to Ma Ni Mar Oo.

The Mon State Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Dr. Mi Kyi Win pointed out that no executive draft for the EIA had been submitted to the Mon state government.

“I am not aware of this plan. I did not receive any oral or written inform letter regarding the plan of EIA,” he said.

The Forever Thanlwin Company Ltd has planned to invest more than US$60 billion for the project, which would cover about 68.11 acres of land near the Andin and Ta-Min Sake villages.

According to Forever Thanlwin Company Ltd., work on the OSB was expected to begin once approval from the Ministry of Energy is granted.

In 2015, a mega-project plan to build a 1200-megawatt coal-fired power plant near the Andin village was scrapped after local people strongly opposed its implementation.