Critics damn plans for Mekong River
AFP March 28, 2008
HANOI: The Mekong River, the world's 12th largest waterway, crossing six countries, may soon be tamed by a cascade of mega dams, but critics say the plan will harm the fish stocks millions of people rely on.
Plans for a series of Mekong dams have been made and scrapped several times since the 1960s, but now, with oil above $US100 dollars ($108) a barrel, the projects look more appealing than ever to their proponents.
The river's future will be a key issue when prime ministers of the Mekong countries meet at the weekend in the Lao capital Vientiane for a summit with the Asian Development Bank.
The 4800km river originates in the Tibetan plateau of China, where it is called the Lancang, before running through Yunnan province, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam to the South China Sea.
To the development lobby, the river is a dream of hydropower potential for an energy-hungry region. To environmentalists, such plans are a nightmare.
Laos, Cambodia and Thailand have allowed Chinese, Malaysian, Thai and Vietnamese companies to study at least seven hydropower projects.
The Mekong feeds Cambodia's giant Tonle Sap lake, the fish of which are the nation's main protein source. Forty million people are active in Lower Mekong fisheries, says the UN. AFP |
