Mon State levee collapses just a month after construction

Levee construction. Photo: Pixabay
Levee construction. Photo: Pixabay

The Mon State government is taking flak from residents after a levee in Alab village collapsed just a month after being built.

The state government funded the levee’s construction, which spanned from January to April. The Irrigation Department provided technical assistance.

Villager Aung Myint told Eleven: “The levee was barely a month old. It broke when the water level wasn’t even that high. The builders did a perfunctory job, so it’s not that surprising. State funds have been wasted.”

He added that villagers had no say in the levee’s construction since it was a government project.

“We had built a makeshift levee with stones before. It took about two months to build, but it did its job well. But look at the government’s levee. The rainy season has just started and it already collapsed!”

Mon State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan came to inspect the levee on May 29 and ordered immediate repairs.

State Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, and Transport Htun Htay said: “This area was hit by the recent storm. We spent over K450 million ($330,000) on this levee because the area is constantly eroded by the river. We will repair it within a month.”

Hopefully this time, the government will seek some local input.

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