Pajau Media Channel
2nd February, 2024
According to local residents, due to the increase in illegal gold mining with large machines, the loss of agricultural land of the local people, including fertilizer, has increased greatly in Indaw Gyi region, Kachin State.
Local residents said that the mud produced by excessive gold mining flowed into the villagers’ fields, destroying the fertilizer and reducing the rate of crop production.
“The mud that came out of gold mining flowed into the fields, so the soil from there was extremely damaged. But adding organic fertilizers only can make the crop yield increase. And due to the high cost of farming, the profit from the rice is lower than before. In the past, gold mining in the village was done by hand with a small Honda machinery and the local people also had a good economy. On the other hand, the plantations are successful and the soil in the village is good enough for every crops. But the fields that used to produce 110 baskets (22.4 kg per basket) of rice per acre are now producing only 80 baskets per acre,” said a farmer.
He said that in the past, one acre of farm cost only about 100,000 kyats, but now, due to the addition of fertilizers, the cost of farming costs up to 400,000 kyats.
“After the coup, gold mining entrepreneurs came from all over. About 800 machines also came in and there are at least two large and medium machines per gold block,” said a 56-year-old local woman.
After the coup, up to 50 percent of agricultural land in Indaw Gyi region has been destroyed, and the loss of fertilizer is also increasing year by year due to the mud that flow from gold mining, said the local.
In addition, Indaw Gyi region is experiencing environmental damage, the extinction of some species of fish, flooding, landslides and experiencing earthquakes due to the increasing rate of gold mining. And it is reported that they are also facing the negative effects of using drugs.
News - Kachin Pyi Thar
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