“The people littered and destroyed the dust bins and so, we will fine these seven pandals. The amount of fine for each pandal will be different. The fine for destroying the dust bins will also depend on the amount of rubbish which the dust bin can hold,” U Soe Tint Aung, head of MCDC’s Cleansing Department, told The Myanmar Times on April 24.

“We will deduct from their deposit of K2million. The Cleansing Department fines only for littering. The Department of Gardening will fine those who cut trees.”

The pandals which will be fined are the Construction pandal, Star Wave, MBA, VS Vegas, 9 Plus, Road Runner and G6.

Although eight pandals each were allocated in the east, north and west of the palace moat, only eight pandals were built on the eastern part and a few in the northern and western parts.

Walking Thingyan was held in the southern part which also had ethnic traditional pandals.

“The walking Thingyan style was very interesting. It is also safe without any traffic dangers. Everyone was playing water politely. We donated food along 26th Street. We collected the rubbish in front of our place and threw them.

We cleared garbage from the drain. We performed with our group,” said a volunteer in charge of Shan Shwe Taung pandal in the southern part of the moat.

The people who got pandal permits for 2017 Myanmar Traditional Maha Thingyan festival paid a deposit of K2million and were made to agree to 26 rules and regulations. The Cleansing Department also gave out dustbins to the pandals.

 

– Translation by Khine Thazin Han