Extensive gold mining utilizing heavy machinery in Putao Township, Kachin State, has polluted vital drinking water sources, destroyed farmland, and severely damaged local transport infrastructure, sparking widespread alarm among residents. The Nam Htum Stream flows directly through the center of Putao, serving as a primary water source for the township seat and several surrounding communities. The lower reaches of the Nam Htum Stream pass through Putao’s five urban wards and irrigate thousands of acres of farmland owned by residents from five adjacent villages. "The excessive mining along the upper Nam Htum Stream has already reached the perimeter of our farmland. Over a year later, neither the junta authorities nor the mining operators have repaired the structure.