Myanmar: Golden Promises Turn Sour in Indawgyi

Jul 22, 2016 | RJ Vogt, Myanmar Times
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It is home to myriad rare creatures and even, legend says, a dragon. Pilgrims believe that gold in the surrounding hills is one of nine Buddhist miracles to grace the region. But the precious metal in the ground around Indawgyi Lake in Kachin State is proving to be more of a curse than a blessing: Now scientists are estimating that damage caused by pollution from gold mining in the area could cause what is currently Myanmar’s largest lake to shrink by one-third within 10 years.