BANGKOK: — Pathum Thani residents seek help from military junta to stop thrash burning power plant projectPathum Thani residents seek help from military junta to stop thrash burning power plant project.
Local residents of Chiang Rak Yai subdistrict in Pathum Thani province have asked the military junta to stop the construction of a trash-burning power plant by a private company reasoning that the approval of the project was fishy.
They sought the military hand after complaints to relevant authorities in the past seven months was not responded but failed.
Residents in Chiang Rak Yai subdistrict, Sam Kok district of Pathum Thani province have filed complaints to various relevant agencies in all levels, but to no avail, as the project continued to move forward as planned.
Three public hearings have been held in the past six months but all had failed.
They now decided to seek help from the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), and the government.
They said they had a study conducted by Thammasat University showing the impacts that the trash-burning power plant would cause in the area where more than 7,000 households are living.
The report states that the land is not fit for construction as it a low-lying area and is situated too close to surrounding villages.
Furthermore, the land is considered a green area used to conserve natural water sources, which is in turn used in irrigation to nourish the lives of the people in both the province and Bangkok.
They said even the deputy director of the Department of Public Works, Town and Country Planning (DPT) himself has said that this area is not suitable for such a construction.
This has then raised the question of how the project was legalised. What’s more important is that according to the Cabinet resolutions in 1979 and 1988, this area helps to conserve natural water sources, a local resident said.
The protest movements have recently expanded to a larger area, after studies backed by experts and academicians have informed of the affects the plant might have on human health and the environment.
Studies pointed out that as the Chaing Rak Yai area is surrounded by the Nam Aom and Aom Prao canals, which are connected to the Chao Phraya River.
The report said if the management and control system of the power plant fails or malfunctions, such as the burning and preserving of wastes, and the cooling system, it could cause grave affect to the ecological system and environment both in Pathum Thani and Bangkok.
A health scientist from Sukothai Thammatirat University said if the plant has improper air pollution filter and ventilation system, ashes would float into the air around the plant.
Then the most concern was the ashes if the wastes were not incinerated at a temperature of 800 degrees Celsius or higher, a gas called Dioxin would be created in the air. And Dioxin is one of the main causes of cancer, she said.
Source: http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/pathum-thani-residents-seek-help-from-govt-to-stop-thrash-burning-power-plant-project/103360/
