Yangon – MP Hla Htay of No.1 Mingalar Taungnyunt Constituency said he will continue to observe a helium balloon project which is likely to move to another location in Yangon, according to the company which proposed to implement the project in the compound of the old aquarium in Kandawgyi Park. The proposal garnered widespread criticism when made public.
The Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) green-lit the project initiated by Myanmar Voyages International Tourism Co., Ltd. and theYangon region government agreed it in principal.
Local citizens, however, including environmentalists, protested the project, which was intended to be developed in Kandawgyi park. The company clarified the parametres of the project to MPs including two MPs from Mingalar Taungnyunt Constituency on 13 October. The MPs said that they did not agree with the project and told the company to seek another location.
An MP has said, however, that he hasn’t heard anything about the project since that time and if the company tries to undertake the project at its original planned place, he will do all he can to prevent it going ahead at the region parliament as the public is against the project being set up in the park.
Although it is a fixed-balloon project, environmentalists have cited concerns over the potential damage to the green zone as the project may harm dozens of old trees. Those same spokespeople also voiced concerns about the closeness of the proposed site to the city’s well-known Shwe Dagon Pagoda as the helium balloons can climb up to 400 feet.
Although the region government could collect about US$10,000 per month (approximately K13 million) to lease the location, they are against the project if it is to be implemented in the park, said some region MPs.
Daily Eleven contacted the company involved in the proposal but did not receive a reply.
Source: Eleven Myanmar
