![](https://thadinn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/30-4.jpg)
SHAN STATE – Due to the rising temperature, the displaced people in Pa’O Region, southern Shan State are facing an increased amount of drinking and general water requirement.
The water requirement is high every year in the hot season and it has become even more essential during the displaced period, according to the displaced people from Hsihseng.
“Now, the leaves have dried out in the woods, leaving sparse shadows and the creeks and springs are also drying out. Before we only need drinking water but now we also need water for general use. Because we are in the woods, we need to be cautious of wildfire as well,” said the displaced people. A volunteer assisting the displaced people informed that the water requirement is worse at the IDP camps in the woods to the east of Hsihseng.
It is said that the women don’t even have enough water for personal hygiene and has developed skin diseases from having to use unclean water.
A person delivering water added that even if the water is provided for free, there are still costs of delivering that water.
“Some water pumps require money fuel but there are also donors. To deliver (water), the fuel costs for delivering is pretty tough as well, as the fuel prices are rising uncontrollably these days. Even if we can let them use our car (for free), we still need to get fuel,” said a person donating his car for use in delivering water.
A 3,000 gallon truck reportedly costs between 50,000 and 100,000 Kyats per delivery.
Although the displaced people can use water from streams and creeks for general use, they require deep well water for drinking and in places where purified drinking water cannot reach or places where they can’t afford it, they need deep well water even more.
In the market, a one litre bottle of purified drinking water is 400 Kyats while a 20 litre bottle is between 2,000 and 3,000 Kyats, a price that displaced people with no income cannot afford.
According to the March 26 release by Pa’O Youth Organisation (PYO), there are over 100,000 displaced people in the Pa’O Region and over 30,000 of them are taking shelter in the woods and jungles nearby and help is required to get water to them.