Senior General Min Aung Hlaing criticized that recent heavy rain was the worst loss and damage among natural disasters in Myanmar.

Chairman of the State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing planted a teak sapling at the third monsoon tree-growing ceremony 2024 of families of Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army, Navy and Air) near Yezin Dam in Zeyathiri Township of Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Senior General said that although nobody can evade natural disasters, they can make preparations for minimizing loss and damage in the incidents by growing trees and systematically conserving forests.

The Senior General recounted that he has given guidance to conduct necessary rehabilitation measures in Rakhine State and Bagan ancient cultural zone that faced flooding in the aftermath of cyclonic storm Mocha in 2023.

He continued that ancient religious monuments in the Bagan Ancient Cultural Heritage Zone are invaluable cultural heritages, and these cannot be substituted with others.

He retold that he had given guidance to dredge ancient lakes to ensure a better drainage system and proper flow of water in the zone and improve the water drainage system, adding recent heavy rains caused lesser loss and damage in the zone thanks to systematic preparations.

The Senior General noted that gold panning, mining, and extreme cutting of trees upstream of rivers and creeks in the country cause silting along the waterway, and then it occurs in sandbanks and raised bed levels.

He spotted that recent heavy rain was the worst loss and damage among natural disasters in Myanmar. Growing trees and systematically conserving forests can help reduce rapid water flow and prevent logs from floating in waterways, he added.

He underlined that new generations can enjoy the fruits of growing trees at present. Perennial trees cannot benefit all immediately but can bring good results to new generations, he continued.

The Senior General and his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win and his wife Daw Than Than Nwe planted a sapling together with the Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) and his wife, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their wives, and attendees who also grew saplings at the designated places.

The Senior General, his wife and the party viewed round the activities of officers, other ranks and families in growing saplings.

At today’s ceremony, they planted 900 teak saplings, 600 Mahogany saplings, 300 ironwood saplings and 600 gum-kino saplings, totalling 2,400. Families of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army, Navy and Air) held tree-growing ceremonies 41 times from 2011 to the third ceremony in 2024 in growing 201,225 saplings of precious trees, perennial trees and windbreaks for the conservation of the natural environment and ecosystem around Yezin Dam.

Yesterday, Tatmadaw, including families of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army, Navy and Air), those from military command headquarters and regiments and units, planted 221,573 saplings.

MNA/TTA

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