Myanmar: Construction of fuel storage tanks in Amarapura resumes

Myanmar: Construction of fuel storage tanks in Amarapura resumes

The regional government has given permission to carry on with the
construction of fuel tanks in Amarapura township, Mandalay Region, as the
project had been postponed since August 2016, according to Myanmar Energy
Sector Development Public Company Limited.
The initial plan was to build 32 fuel storage tanks, but only one received a
green light in August 2016 and has been built.

All the equipment is being installed and gasoline will shortly be stored,
announced company project director U Than Htun to The Myanmar Times on
September 24.

"The regional government authorised operation for one tank. It will be
operational within the next two months. The fuel needs to be distributed
from the tanks systematically. So far, fuel transportation is not
systematic. Since we will be using pipes to fuel the tank, there is no need
to worry about spillage anymore," he said.

Further fuel storage projects will be carried out on 38 acres of land close
to Odotetan street and Thapyaytan Fort, where the Ayeyarwady and Dokhtawaddy
rivers meet.

A fuel-storage tank is 35 ft high and nearly 105 ft wide. Altogether, they
will have a storage capacity of 3 million gallons of fuel. The project began
in March 2015 but was postponed in August 2016 due to environmental impact
concerns, irregularities in engineering, and the land being too sandy.

"After the current government reviewed the project, it was delayed for a
while. But now, it is all OK and we are carrying out the project with great
concern for the environment. Suggestions from the regulation committee will
be implemented if possible," he said.

The regulation committee is comprised of impartial experts and government
officials from the Petroleum Storage Department, Department for Water
Resources and River Development, Myanmar Engineering Society and the
Regional Minister of Electricity, Energy and Construction U Zarni Aung, who
currently presides over the committee.

Nonetheless, opposition remains because the storage complex is located near
the ancient cultural zone of Innwa.

U Maung Maung Oo of Evergreen, a non-governmental environmental organisation
in Mandalay, said they are raising the issue with the Union government:
"Although we accept the need for regional development, it is near a huge
cultural heritage site and we are planning to object to it."

"The villagers are a little bit afraid, wondering if it could be dangerous.
I have also asked the parliament to change the project's location. Minister
U Zarni Aung answered that there were no such plans, but that since it is
close to Thapyaytan Fort, Innwa Bridge and a seismic zone, it would be good
to think about another place. There is still free land lower down the
river," said U Myint Swe, Regional Parliament MP for No.2 Amarapura Voting
Precinct.

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Link to Original Article:
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/construction-fuel-storage-tanks-amarapura-resum
es.html

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com