CONSERVATION
APINYA WIPATAYOTIN
Villagers living near Huay Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuary in Uthai Thani province have called on the Ministry of Industry to reject an application for mining activity near the World Heritage Site. The ministry's provincial basic industries and mines office revealed that a private firm had applied for a mining concession licence to conduct lead, iron and quartz mining in a 600-rai land plot in Ban Rai district a few months ago.
Mongkul Ektawatchai, head of Ban Mai Rom Yen village, said the office recently sent a notice to the residents, asking if they would object to it.
''We hadn't been informed about the mining project before. The agency should have alerted us to the project long before asking such questions,'' he said.
Sombat Chooma, manager of a conservation project in the western forest complex, said a network of 30 villages had already lodged a protest against the mining application, which could threaten the pristine eco-system.
According Mr Sombat, the proposed 600-rai mining site is located in an area used as a community forest, where villagers collect wild products for food.
Amornmitre Kampiteerapanno, a monk who is also chairman of the western forest complex committee for Uthai Thani province, explained that the site is ''very fertile and is home to many species of animals, some of them rare.''
However, he said the mining firm argued there were only common animals such as chickens and pigs in the area.
''Villagers collect wild mushrooms, bamboo and vegetables here. These wild products generate around four million baht for the villagers each year. But the mining will destroy their sources of food and income,'' said the activist monk.
He also expressed concern that the mining activities could lead to contamination of natural water sources.
''We don't want to suffer the same fate as the Klity villagers,'' he said, referring to a case of lead contamination at Klity creek in Kanchanaburi province caused by a lead concentration plant in the 1980s and 1990s.
Meanwhile, Chulasopol Ngamnuch, chief of the provincial industry office, said his agency has not been authorised to make a decision on the issue. He will gather residents' opinions and forward them to the Basic Industries and Mines Department.
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