SAHAVIRIYA SMELTER
APINYA WIPATAYOTIN & CHAIWAT SATYAEM
About 300 activists opposed to Sahaviriya's planned smelting plant and construction of a power plant in Prachuap Khiri Khan protest outside parliament yesterday. |
Sahaviriya Steel Group has been told to provide more details on how it plans to reduce the impact of the giant new plant it plans to build in Bang Saphan district in Prachuap Khiri Khan.
Experts from the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning made the demand at a meeting in Bangkok yesterday.
They also heard from the project's opponents for the first time, in a bid to make the process more transparent.
The meeting reviewed the giant steel company's environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the first time since the company submitted it last month. The report must be reviewed within 75 days, or it will be automatically approved.
The director of the ministry's environment assessment office, Santi Boonprakub, said the report did not clearly explain the impact on the environment and other natural resources, such as tuna breeding grounds and mangrove areas. "It has not been made clear whether all communities living within five square kilometres of the plant have seen the EIA report, or are even aware of it. This process is required by law," Mr Santi said.
Sahaviriya plans to produce more than 30 million tonnes of steel a year from its new smelter. Critics say the plant would cause serious pollution problems for the environment and local communities.
Chintana Kaewkao, a leading opponent, said there was little chance of reconciliation with the company and urged the panel to carefully consider the impact on the soft coral reef off the coast nearby.
"The company's EIA report said there is no soft coral reef there, but it does exist," she said.
Supoj Songsaeng said the Land Department had already withdrawn the land rights to over 400 rai included in the EIA report because of illegal land possession.
Pirote Mokdara, vice president of special projects at Sahaviriya, said he had not received any such information and said the report had been prepared using reliable information.
"We have tried our best to get approval because the project is very important for the country. We have explained our project to local people and they all understand our point," he said.
"There are a few people who refuse to accept our intentions. But we are certain the steel industry can operate comfortably within the environment and community."
Sahaviriya first submitted the EIA report almost two years ago. It later withdrew the report because of pressure from locals who said the new site encroached on the wetland. Last month, the company resubmitted the report with no encroachment of the controversial areas.
Many local people fear their health and quality of life will be diminished if the plant is built. There have been violent clashes between protesters and supporters of the project.
The latest occurred on Tuesday night, when 300 villagers travelled in seven buses from Bang Saphan district to Bangkok for the meeting. In Kui Buri district unidentified men scattered spikes on the road, causing many flat tyres, and threw pieces of lead at two buses, injuring two teenage passengers. One of the protest leaders, Jintana Kaewkhao, filed a complaint with Kui Buri district police. She said the buses had been followed by a pick-up and two vans since they left Bang Saphan.
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