Granny wins B1m soil salt suit

Granny wins B1m soil salt suit

NAKHON RATCHASIMA : The Court of Appeal's ruling to award 1 million baht in compensation to an 86-year-old rice farmer has encouraged other rice growers affected by salt water from shrimp and salt farms to take legal action.

Noi Meepuang holds up a court verdict ordering a shrimp farming business to pay her 1 million baht plus interest to compensate for the damage caused by salinisation of the soil on her 45-rai rice field. PRASIT TANGPRASERT

On Tuesday, the court's Environment Division ordered shrimp farm owner Kaisorn Chotechakornpan to pay 1 million baht plus annual interest of 7.5% to Noi Meepuang, whose 45-rai rice farm in Non Thai district was devastated by salinisation of the soil as a result of activities at Mr Kaisorn's shrimp farms. The lawsuit was filed with the Civil Court on Dec 17, 2010.

A group of rice farmers who say they have been hurt by salt farming, led by Thaworn Phetkhunthod, yesterday visited Ms Noi to help celebrate her victory. Mr Thaworn's group plans to file a lawsuit against several officials and agencies for failing to take action against salt farm operators in Pra Thong Kham, Non Sung and Non Thai districts.

Almost 1,000 rice farmers in the three districts claim their rice fields have been devastated by salt processing plants.

Salt production has caused widespread soil salinisation for more than 20 years, they said.

Mr Thaworn said the group intends to file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court against the governor and seven agencies for not taking action.

He said the farmers would also lodge a lawsuit with the provincial court against the salt production operators.

They say they want 280 million baht in compensation for damage caused to 10,006 rai of farmland.

"Ms Noi's case has given the group the confidence to seek action against salt farm operators for ruining our rice fields," Mr Thaworn said.

Mr Thaworn said the farmers will also petition the provincial governor, Winai Buapradit, for compensation and rehabilitation.

The petition is expected to be ready within two weeks, pending two sets of documents including a geology survey report by Rajabhat Nakhon Ratchasima University.

The Industry Ministry, the Department of Industrial Works, the Department of Primary Industries and Mines and the Pollution Control Department would also be held responsible for failing to control the activities of the salt production industry, Mr Thaworn said.

The provincial industrial office and local administrative organisations would also be included in the farmers' lawsuit.

Santipap Siriwattanapaiboon, a researcher at Udon Thani Rajabhat University who studied the impact salt farming has on rice cultivation, said both shrimp and salt farming damaged rice fields through salinisation of the soil.

The problem of salt farming is serious due to its widespread practice in many northeastern provinces.

"This problem can be found everywhere where salt farming is located," he said.

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