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ARCHIVES	Friday, 20 April 2007	THE MYANMAR TIMES

Senior General Than Shwe, wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing attend ceremony to enshrine Maha Muni Buddha Image (Hniphaya) in Lashio

Nay Pyi Taw, 19 April - Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe and wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing, accompanied by Member of the State Peace and Development Council General Thura Shwe Mann, SPDC members Lt-Gen Ye Myint, Lt-Gen Kyaw Win and Lt-Gen Tin Aye, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Vice-Admiral Soe Thein, Commander-in-Chief (Air) Lt-Gen Myat Hein, Chairman of Mandalay Division PDC Commander of Central Command Maj-Gen Khin Zaw, ministers, senior military officers of the Ministry of Defence and officials of the SPDC Office, left PyinOoLwin by air on 18 April morning and arrived at Lashio Airport in Lashio of Shan State (North) at 10 am.

The Senior General and party were welcomed by Chairman of Shan State (North) PDC Commander of North-East Command Brig-Gen Aung Than Htut, Brig-Gen Thet Oo of Hsenwi Station, Deputy Commander Brig-Gen Hla Myint and officials.

At Thiri Mingala Manhsu Shan Monastery in Lashio, the Senior General, wife and party attended the ceremony to enshrine Maha Muni Buddha Image (Hniphaya).

Also present on the occasion were departmental personnel, members of the Union Solidarity and Development Association, social organizations, religious associations and townselders. State Ovadaçariya Kanmein Monastery Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Muninda administered the Nine Precepts. Members of the Sangha recited Parittas.

Senior General Than Shwe and wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing offered religious objects dedicated to the pagoda to the Sayadaw. The Senior General and wife donated provisions to the Sayadaw of Kanmein Monastery and rice, edible oil and salt to members of the Sangha of monasteries in Lashio. They also presented provisions and robes to nuns.

General Thura Shwe Mann and party offered alms to members of the Sangha. On behalf of the Senior General and wife, Lt-Gen Kyaw Win and the commander kept religious objects into the reliquary of the pagoda.

Vice-Chairman of Shan State (North) Sangha Nayaka Committee Manhsu Phayagyi Monastery Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Kodañña delivered a sermon, and the Senior General, wife and party shared merits gained. After the ceremony, they offered ?soon' to members of the Sangha.

Maha Muni Buddha Image (Hniphaya) from the base to the headdress is 11 feet and six inches high, and the length between both edges of the knees are 8 feet and 4.5 inches.

Senior General Than Shwe inspects progress of Shweli (1) Hydropower Project Upper Thanlwin Project, Shweli Project and Tarpein Project to be implemented as soon as possible

Nay Pyi Taw, 19 April - Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe yesterday inspected progress of Shweli (1) Hydropower Project being implemented by No 2 Construction of Hydropower Implementation Department of the Ministry of Electric Power No 1 on Shweli River, 17 miles southwest of Mantet Village in Namhkam, Shan State (North).

Accompanied by Member of the State Peace and Development Council General Thura Shwe Mann, SPDC members Lt-Gen Ye Myint, Lt-Gen Kyaw Win and Lt-Gen Tin Aye, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Vice-Admiral Soe Thein, Commander-in-Chief (Air) Lt-Gen Myat Hein, Chairman of Shan State (North) PDC Commander of North-East Command Brig-Gen Aung Than Htut, Chairman of Mandalay Division PDC Commander of Central Command Maj-Gen Khin Zaw, ministers, senior military officers and officials of the SPDC Office, Senior General Than Shwe left Lashio by air and arrived at the project site in Namhkam Township at 11.50 am.

At Shweli Hall, Minister for Electric Power No 1 Col Zaw Min reported that Shweli (1) Hydropower Project is to generate 600 megawatts. Preliminary engineering works such as construction of the approach road and Shweli Bridge have been completed. Furthermore, the concrete embankment the diversion tunnel, the pilot channel and power intake building, and the approach tunnel are under construction.

Next, the minister presented reports on arrangements for implementation of 460-megawatt Shweli (2) Hydropower Project and 360-megawatt Shweli (3) Hydropower Project to be implemented in Momeik of Shan State, 240-megawatt Tarpein (1) Hydropower Project and 168-megawatt Tarpein (2) Hydropower Project in Momauk Township in Kachin State and 2400-megawatt Upper Thanlwin Hydropower Project in Kunlong region of Shan State.

Director-General Dr Thein Tun of Electric Power Department briefed the Senior General and party on installation of 180 miles long 230-kv power line Shweli-Mansan-Shwesaryan (Mandalay). The commander gave a supplementary report.

After hearing the reports, the Senior General gave guidance. He stressed the need to implement Upper Thanlwin Project, Shweli Project and Tarpein Project as soon as possible. In addition to water resources that have been surveyed, survey tasks are to be conducted to search more resources. While generating hydropower with utmost efforts, the power grid is to be installed on schedule to supply electricity from the projects to the nation.

Next, the Senior General presented the fruit basket to Executive Vice President Mr MA Lipeng of YUPD Co and Vice President Mr He Wen of YMEC Co of the People's Republic of China that are carrying out joint venture tasks with Hydropower Implementation Department.

The Senior General and party viewed progress in construction of the concrete embankment measuring 531 feet by 154 feet, the power intake building and the diversion building.

Arrangements are being made to implement Shweli (2) and Shweli (3) Hydropower Projects. On completion, 1420 megawatts can be generated from three Shweli hydropower projects.

Afterwards, the Senior General and party left for Lashio by helicopter, and they proceeded to PyinOoLwin by air.

Yangon, 19 April - To mark the completion of offering gold foils, the ceremony to consecrate Shwephonepwint Pagoda was held at the new prayer hall of the pagoda in Pazundaung Township this morning, attended by Lt-Gen Myint Swe of the Ministry of Defence.

In commemoration of the completion of the fourth all-round renovation task, Vice-Chairman of State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Bhaddanta Tejaniya and members of the Sangha consecrated the pagoda.

Chairman of Central Committee for Fourth All-Round Renovation of the pagoda Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan supplicated on the purpose of holding the consecration ceremony and merit sharing ceremony.

Lt-Gen Myint Swe and party took the Five Precepts from the Vice-Chairman Sayadaw. Next, members of the Sangha recited Parittas.

Lt-Gen Myint Swe offered eight requisites to the Vice-Chairman Sayadaw. Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win, ministers, guests and wellwishers donated eight requisites to members of the Sangha.

Joint Secretary Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Manitasiri Bhivamsa delivered a sermon, and the congregation shared merits gained.

After the ceremony, Lt-Gen Myint Swe and party offered ?soon' to members of the Sangha.

Also present on the occasion were Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan and wife, Minister for Rail Transportation Maj-Gen Aung Min and wife, Deputy Minister Thura U Thaung Lwin, local authorities, chairmen and responsible persons of Myanmar Writers and Journalists Association, Myanmar Motion Picture Asiayon and Myanmar Traditional Artists and Artisans Asiayon, members of the pagoda board of trustees and wellwishers.

Yangon, 19 April-The 1200-HP diesel locomotive made on self-reliant basis by the Myanma Railways under the Ministry of Rail Transportation was launched at Yangon Central Railway Station at 1 pm today, with the attendance of Lt-Gen Myint Swe of the Ministry of Defence.

Also present were Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Chairman Yangon Command Commander Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win, Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan, Minister for Rail Transportation Maj-Gen Aung Min, Chairman of Yangon City Develop-ment Committee Mayor Brig-Gen Aung Thein Lin, Deputy Ministers for Rail Transportation Thura U Thaung Lwin and U Pe Than, Managing Director of MR U Min Swe, and heads of department under the Ministry of Rail Transportation.

In his report, Minister for Rail Transportation Maj-Gen Aung Min said that the Myanma Railways transports passengers, commuters and goods through 222 long runs and 185 commuter runs with the use of 295 diesel locomotives. Due to the rise in oil prices, people and those engaged in the transportation industry come to depend more on rail transportation, so this calls for more locomotives.

At the start, Insein and Ywahtaung locomotive factories under the Myanma Railways were aimed just to repair locomotives. Formerly, the Myanma Railways produced spare parts of machines, but no locomotives. In his inspection tour of Insein Locomotive Shed in 1994, Head of State Senior General Than Shwe gave guidance on production of locomotives domestically. In compliance with the guidance, experts and technicians from related ministries and private industries coordinated and cooperated and extensively produced spare parts of locomotives with higher quality. In 2005-2006, the MR imported a one-used DD.51 Brand two-1100 HP-engine locomotive from Japan and studied the assembling processes. Then it succeeded in transforming from the two-1100 HP-engine locomotive into two locomotives installed with one-1100 HP-engine each. The Head of State again gave guidance on production of six locomotives and 36 modern passenger coaches locally by 2007-2008. The 1200 HP locomotive is the first one produced through own designs to realize the guidance, he said.

He said that in his two inspection tours of Insein Locomotive Shed on 3 June 1994 and on 20 May 2003, the Head of State gave guidance laying down a goal of producing large locomotives locally, production of three or four specific kinds of locomotives, innovative measures to be taken to achieve the goal by extensively producing more types of import-substitute spare parts of locomotives stage by stage in the nation, cooperation with the Ministry of Industry-2, and production of six locomotives and 36 modern passenger coaches in 2007-2008.

Upholding the guidance as work guidelines, the MR will produce locomotives with added momentum, he said.

In conclusion, he pledged that the MR will make continued efforts to spread its wings for the comfort and convenience of the people.

General Manager of the shed U Saw Valentine gave an account of building a DF 1200-01 Brand 1200 HP diesel-fired electric locomotive with own design in the factory and follow-up plans.

Lt-Gen Myint Swe gave instructions on the plan and inspected documentary photos of the production process. He sprinkled scented water on the locomotive with coaches carrying goods weighing 720 tons standing on platform No 1. So did the commander, ministers, the Yangon mayor, deputy ministers and officials.

Lt-Gen Myint Swe and party inspected the locomotive. When the train made its first run to Mandalay, Lt-Gen Myint Swe and party and staff of the MR waved to the passengers.

The locomotive is 11 feet and four inches high, nine feet and three inches wide and 44 feet long with 66 tons in weight. With 783 kilowatts of diesel engine power, it runs 60 mph at the highest speed.

Ceremony to donate cash for fourth all-round renovation tasks of Shwephonepwint Pagoda held

Yangon, 19 April - A ceremony to donate cash for third time to carry out fourth all-round renovation tasks of Shwephonepwint Pagoda was held at the Dhammayon of the pagoda, in Pazundaung township this morning.

It was attended by Chairman of Leading Committee for Fourth All-round Renovation Tasks of Shwephonepwint Pagoda Secretariat Member of the Union Solidarity and Development Association Pazundaung Township In-charge Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan and CEC Member of USDA Minister for Rail Transportation Maj-Gen Aung Min. Next, they accepted cash donations and presented certificates of honour to donors.

First, the congregation opened the ceremony with three-time recitations of Namo Tassa. Next, Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan made clarification on benefits to be gained for the construction of the religious buildings and carrying out of five construction tasks for fourth all-round renovation of the pagoda.

Under the patronage of father U Tha Sein, Minister for Rail Transportation Maj-Gen Aung Min and wife Daw Wai Wai Tha and families donated one gold foil and one gold bell worth K 1 million.

Under the patronage of mother Daw Than Kyi, Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan and wife Daw Kyi Kyi Win and families donated a gold bell worth K 400,000. A total of 62 wellwishers donated cash K 17.546 million towards the pagoda.

With the intention of implementing renovation tasks for the pagoda, wellwishers and pilgrims have already donated K 145,082,960 in total so far.

Yangon, 19 April - A ceremony to lay cornerstones for construction of ancient Zeya Theikdi Pagoda in the compound of Panditayama Monastery in Dagon Myothit ( South) Township was held in conjunction with the cash donation ceremony this morning, attended by Religious Affairs Minister Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung.

First, the congregation took the Nine Precepts from State Ovadacariya Agga Maha Kammathanacariya Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Tawtaik Dhamma Yeiktha Sayadaw Bhaddanta Dhammasara. Next, members of the Sangha recited the parittas. The minister, Vice-Mayor Col Maung Pa and officials offered the gem casket, the stone plaque, bricks and provisions to members of the Sangha.

Next, the minister and the vice-mayor accepted cash donations from wellwishers and those present shared the merits gained. At the auspicious time, the minister laid the gem casket and stone plaque at the designated places and sprinkled scented water on them.

Later, the minister, the vice-mayor and officials put bricks in the designated places and sprinkled scented water on them.

Yangon, 19 April - An opening ceremony of No-023 CNG Filling Station took place in front of the station on Kyansittha Road in Dagon Myothit (East) Township this morning, attended by Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win, Deputy Minister for Energy Brig-Gen Than Htay, departmental heads, officials concerned and members of the social organization.

Firstly, the general manager of Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise explained about the filling station. The commander and the deputy minister unveiled the signboard of the filling station.

Next, the commander and the deputy minister observed the facility of the filling station.

Yangon, 19 April - A sawmill in Thandaung Township was burnt down by KNU insurgents and a villager was injured on his foot as the mine near the sawmill exploded last week.

Ko Tun Tun of Thabyaynyunt Village, who took part in extinguishing the fire on the night of 10 April, stepped on the mine the next day planted by the insurgents near the sawmill.

Insurgents have disturbed peaceful life of the people. They are in hot pursuit by the regional Tatmadaw columns.

Yangon, 19 April - Twenty-seven men were ordained as monks, 114 were novitiated and one girl was initiated into nunhood at Sagu Monastery in Sagu Township on 15 April sponsored by wellwishers Thiri Thudhamma Manijota Dhara U Myint Soe and Daw Mya Mya Soe of Mayangon Township.

The ordination and novitiation ceremony was held at the monastery and wellwishers offered 1,800 candle lights to three pagodas on Sagu-Singaung Road.

Wellwishers also offered meals to monks, novices and local residents and shared merits gained.

On 15 April, water pumps and lakes built at a cost of K 250,000 were unveiled in Singu, NyaunOo township.

Yangon, 19 April - A ceremony to pay homage to Sayadaw Ashin Çandana who passed the Dvipitaka in the Tipitakadhara Tipitakakovida Selection Examination will be held at Kyaunggyi Monastery in Pauktaw Village of Bago Township on 29 April.

Yangon, 19 April - The 10th 10-day meditation camp will be organized at Myothit Dhammayon Monastery in Insein Township from 5 to 14 May.

Those wishing to donate cash to the funds of the meditation camp may contact the monastery.

Sayadaw Bhaddanta Kusala of Alin Young Monastery and Sayadaw Bhaddanta Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja Bhaddanta Kasava of Barwana Monastery in Thayet, Sayadaw Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja Bhaddanta Paññavara of Myothit Dhammayon Monastery in Insein will teach the devotees ways of doing meditation.