Three villages in Sittwe go electric this year

Three villages in Sittwe Township will have access to an electric power supply within the 2019-2020 fiscal year, said a member of parliament in Arakan State.

By John 09 May 2019

John / DMG
May 9, Sittwe

Three villages in Sittwe Township will have access to an electric power supply within the 2019-2020 fiscal year, said a member of parliament in Arakan State.

Kan Pyi Ywar Haung, Kan Pyin Ywar Thit and Thone Saung villages from Chaung Nwe village tracts were given priority to access electricity from the national grid, U Aye Thein, Arakan State Hluttaw representative of Sittwe Township, said.

“Two other villages from the village tract will receive electric power during the next budget allocation,” he added.

Power lines and a transformer are going to be built in Thone Saung village and Sat Yoe Kya ward under the budget allocation for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, according to the MP.

U Than Myint Oo, electrical engineer for Sittwe Township, told the DMG that some villages have yet to get access to electricity because of the State government’s financial situation and the nearest villages to the power lines are given access first.

Five villages where nearly 500 houses are located is close to the city of Sittwe but villagers have poor transportation networks and lack electrical power.

Local residents from five villages in Chaung Nwe village tract are now using solar power and candles.

“All five villages lack access to electricity. But we have solar panels. It is more than five years since we have been employing solar power but not all houses can afford to use it,” said U Hla Tin, head of hundred households from Zawmatet village.