Punitive action will be taken against those found to be squatting on state-owned and private land, state media reported on 26 May quoting the Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein.
The chief minister added that a list of squatters will be compiled within 45 days as part of a broader plan to conduct research on the development of Yangon Region where the squatter problem is seen as a challenge by the regional government.
Figures show that there are an estimated 170,000 squatters in Yangon’s north district, 93,000 in south district, 8,000 in the west district and 150,000 in the east district. 53 per cent of all Myanmar interstate migration is to Yangon, according to a report by the Social Policy & Poverty Research Group.