Last month, Kandawgyi Gardens in Pyin Oo Lwin held a very special event: the France Flower Festival. To showcase the beauty of nature in a garden that is known as one the country's best maintained natural wonders, it went all out in showing the splendor and diversity of its flowers and other fauna. Many Burmese came from all around to attend, and after it was over... well, there are some rock concerts that come away less trashed. Ko Zaw Min captured some of the disturbing scenes of the careless and wanton debasement of the garden. In a country that has literally banned and threatened artists who use the Buddha's image to send a sign of caution concerning the rising toxicity of air quality, and where its third most holy site (Golden Rock) was nearly shut down due to its lack of trash refuse system turning it into a large landfill, the local destruction and overall lack of care in preventing littering continues unabated. Despite the growing concern in the younger generation and increasing activism to create a sustainable environment that is pleasant for all to live in, the road ahead seems long and and hard.
I have not returned to Burma since 2015 because of the morning rubbish burning in the neighbourhood of the monastery where i stayed. Became quite ill, but also had lost of sinus and coughing respatory issues. It's a big shame.
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