29 August
Old Kyunhla Town, which was submerged by the Thaphanseik dam, has been crowded with visitors ever since it re-emerged, according to visitors.
“The significant landmarks of the Indine village, including the well, graves, schools, pagodas and roads, became visible after the water level in the dam declined. The clock tower in the submerged Kyunhla township had collapsed recently. During the construction of the Thaphanseik dam in 1996, the residents of Kyunhla Town and 73 villages, including Indine Village, were relocated. Earlier, Indine villagers earned a good income from pea cultivation,” said Ko Htet, a resident of Kyunhla Town.
Although the Thaphanseik dam is helping generate revenue for the country and is improving the livelihood of the residents in Shwebo District, the residents relocated from Kyunhla Town said they are not enjoying any benefits from the dam. The government compensated villagers for their farmlands, but the new lands allotted to them are not suitable for farming, they said.
“While relocating to another place, we faced difficulties due to the land. Young people left the village to pursue other job opportunities,” said Ko Htain from old Kyunhla Town.
Ahead of the construction of the Thaphanseik dam in Sagaing Region, the residents of Kyunhla Town and 73 villages were moved out. The pagodas, temples, buildings, clock tower, and other structures in old Kyunhla Town were submerged after the dam was completed. — Myo Win Tun (Monywa)
(Translated by La Wonn)
