PAK
MOON DAM
Villagers
renew their push Permanent opening of spillways sought
Bangkok
Post. September 17, 2002.
Dusit
Singkhiri
Hundreds
of Assembly of the Poor members and villagers have renewed their push for
the permanent opening of Pak Moon dam's spillways.
Some
300 Assembly of the Poor members and local people affected by the Pak Moon
dam project started their rally outside Ubon Ratchathani's provincial hall
yesterday morning to demand the permanent opening of the dam's spillways
for environment protection.
Protest
leader Thongcharoen Sihatham read a statement saying that the Assembly of
the Poor wanted the government to keep the spillways open
permanently.
The
group referred to a research carried out by Ubon Ratchathani University
showing the opening of the spillways helped revitalise the environment and
the ecological system of the Moon river basin which had been badly
affected by the dam project.
The
assembly also demanded legal action against Chakkrit Wisetchollatharn who
allegedly continued encroaching on about 400 rai of forest land despite
the district's probe results which found him guilty.
The
protesters said the rally would continue until the government agreed to
the permanent opening of the dam's spillways.
According
to Ubon Ratchathani University's research results, which are to be
presented to the cabinet by the end of this month, there were four
alternatives to choose from: closing the spillways, opening them for five
months a year, opening them for eight months a year and opening them
permanently. |
