Yangon Region government is planning to implement housing projects for squatters with about 10,000 apartments each in four Dagon townships and Hlinethaya and Shwepyitha townships, said Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein at a seminar on Slums and Informal Settlements in Yangon "The Way Forward" held at Summit Parkview Hotel in Yangon on August 5. 

"We will mainly target four Dagon townships and Hlinethaya and Shwepyitha townships. About 10,000 apartments will be built in each township. Of the six townships, North Dagon Township has fewest squats. The estimated number of apartments is about 60,000. This will be the first step towards half way for about 150,000 households," said the chief minister. 

He said there could be about 20,000 or 30,000 apartments in Hlinethaya and Shwepyitha townships. 

"Squatters cannot live by Hlinethaya Road. This is because we have widened the road. There are ditches beside the road. As those ditches are full of water in the rainy season, people cannot live there. We have to solve the problem," said the chief minister. 

There are a large number of squatters in places close to some villages. Those coming especially from Ayeyawady Region are working in industrial zones. 

As the number of local migrants is on the increase, there are cases in which plots are created on farmlands for sale. 

"I show compassion for those migrants. I am rather dissatisfied with such commercial purposes. They are earning millions of kyats from exploiting government-owned land. The is a kind of business from which one can become rich," said Phyo Min Thein. 

The current government has vowed to solve squatting problems in Yangon as the situation can worsen next five or 10 years.