Pinpet steel plant sparks worry over public health

July is usually the time when farmers in the Ponginn region begin harvesting their summer rice, but this July, Sai Kyaw Hla hesitated to enter the flooded fields, as contaminated water had entered the fields, causing skin irritations among the farmers.

“The deeper the water, the itchier it gets all over. If it reaches your knees, the itching goes up to your knees. If it reaches your chest, it itches all the way up there. It’s so unbearable that even scratching until you bleed doesn’t make it stop,” said Sai Kyaw Hla, a local farmer from the Ponginn region.

In the past, farmers in Ponginn never faced problems with contaminated water. In fact, during their ancestors’ time, there was even a saying that the water in Ponginn’s fields was so clean it could be drunk.

Ponginn region, located in Taunggyi Township in southern Shan State and bordering Hsihseng and Hopong townships, is known for the saying that locals live six months on land and six months under water. For this reason, it is often called the “second Inle,” as it lies just a mountain away from the famous Inle Lake, where people live in stilt houses over the water. Ponginn Village and about 30 surrounding communities together make up the Ponginn region.

The people of Ponginn mainly make a living through rice farming and fishing, relying heavily on the Namhtabat Stream for their livelihood.

Unlike some war-torn areas in Shan State, the Ponginn region is relatively peaceful. However, locals face hardships imposed by the junta-aligned Pa-O National Organisation (PNO), which collects excessive taxes under the pretext of military expenses and targets young people for conscription. As a result, many young people have left Ponginn, seeking safety or better opportunities elsewhere.