Minister inspects irrigation of Kantin Bilin Dam in Minhla Township

YANGON, 17 Jan—Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Htay Oo, accompanied by departmental officials, on 15 January, inspected cultivation of summer paddy, thriving of gram plantations and irrigation facilities under construction at the irrigated area of Kantin Bilin Dam in Minhla Township, Bago (West) Division.

The minister first inspected irrigation of the dam through canal No 3 for summer paddy cultivation while officials of the Irrigation Department reported on progress of work in construction of other structures, irrigation, other structures under construction. Afterwards, the minister looked into irrigation of canal No 3, earth work being carried out with the use of machinery, irrigation of the main canal.

With the use of those irrigation facilities already completed, local farmers will be able to put more lands in Minhla and Letpadan Townships under summer paddy and gram.

Next, the minister arrived at the diversion weir of the dam where he was briefed by an official on the salient points of the diversion weir. The minister viewed irrigation system of the irrigated area of the dam, the diversion weir and the main canal.

Later, the minister inspected water control tower, outlet conduit and spillway of the dam.

Kantin Bilin Dam with a storage capacity of 134,000 acre feet is now storing 90,000 acre feet.

Next, the minister inspected land preparations for cultivation of summer paddy, crop plantations and irrigation of canals to farmlands. The dam will irrigate 12,000 acres of farmlands in 2005 and it has been now able to irrigate 7,000 acres. Due to its emergence, there appeared 2,300 irrigated acres between motor road and railroad and 4,700 irrigated acres in the lower part of railroad.