Titkyit locals worry over carbon monoxide poisoning

Eleven 25 April 2018 | Sithar

(Taunggyi) – Smoke emitted from Tikyit coal mine, Pinlong Township, Shan State, were spread around in the area since April 23 making the locals to worry of carbon monoxide poisoning, sources said.

According to the locals, fire broke out in the coal mine on April 23 and smokes leaked out from the mine making the air polluted.

“The smoke is thick today afternoon and it caused headaches. When we complaint about it to the company, they replied to us that they will extinguish fire by the next day. They cannot control the fire and we cannot stand the smell. Southern parts of our dwelling, nearest to the mine is the worst. It feels like we will die in two days after we inhaled the smoke. The smell is terrible,” said a local Win Htoo.

Tikyit has a coal mine and a power plant owned by Ministry of Electricity and Energy and rented to Wuxi Huaguang Electric Power Engineering Co. Ltd., under 22-year lease agreement.

“The fire is difficult to put out as it’s been burning underground. The company will have to use all bulldozers and machinery to put out the fire. The smoke filled up the air,” he said.

Coal ashes have been blowing in the wind and containing toxic wastes such as diamond, lead and mercury if they get mixed in with water. The toxic wastes permeate through the ground in rainy season. It will be hazardous for humans if they permeated through streams and wells. It will cause pollution in air, water and ground in the hot season.

The Shan State government approved Tikyit coal fired power plant to run a one-year trial test and it will be closed down if it creates environmental damages for locals in a year’s time, said Swe Thein, Minister for Electricity and Energy for the state.

http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/local/13798