Villagers to provide sandstones for road construction
July 7, 2007: Villagers in Zokhuamawi village, near Tio River on the Indo-Myanmar border have been ordered to provide sandstones for the construction of a three kilometer long asphalt road link between Zokhuamawi village and Rih sub-town in Chin state. The directive comes from the Myanmar military authorities.
The scene of Rih lake in Chin state, Myanmar
Zo Suang Kai, chairman of Rih’s sub-town Peace and Development Council relayed the order which reportedly came from Lieutenant Colonel Maung Sein of the Light
Infantry Battalion No (288) stationed in
Kalay Township in Sagaing Division, to locals in Zokhuamawi village which has
around 300 households.
Each household in Zokhuamawi village has to contribute a stack of sandstone for paving the asphalt road, said a local in Zokhuamawi. The measurement of a stack of sandstones is 10 feet long x 10 wide x 1 feet in height.
The order to provide sandstones for the construction of asphalt road from Zokhuamawi to Rih sub-town, which has the heart- shaped- Lake ‘Rih’. It is a famous tourist spot. The order has been effective from the third week of June this year.
“Though it is easy to find sandstones along Tio River but it is too risky to collect them as the water level is very high now with the onset of monsoon,” said a local in Zokhuamawi.
“We can’t bribe them (local authorities) since the labour is compulsory. We were told to find paid workers if we could not do it by ourselves”.
It was also learnt that the LIB (268) has camps in Rih sub-town.
The heart-shape-Lake ‘Rih’ is a hot spot for students from Myanmar and North east India for vacations. The government of Mizoram state in India also promotes Tourism service to Rih Lake via Champhai district border with Myanmar. – KNG.
