Original report from Washington
16 October 2008
International and local non-governmental agencies are concerned that the building of hydroelectric dams in China, Laos and Vietnam could adversely affect Cambodia’s waterways.
“I think in the future, Cambodia might have a big problem, because when they build the dam or construct some other things in China, Laos or Vietnam,” Mickey Sampson, a country director for the Resource Development International Cambodia told VOA in Khmer in Washington.
Water that flows from the Himalayas flows into Cambodia, bringing to the Tonle Sap river mud and soil,” Sampson said. But damming the Mekong river can reduce the flow of fertile mud and change the diversity of wildlife in river systems, he said.
Meanwhile, the runoff of fertilizers and pesticides by Cambodian farmers into rivers is also hurting the waterways, he said.
Sampson said his organization has had in place for three years water monitoring systems, “so when they build the dam, then we can see clearly that the quality of water and diversity are changing in Cambodia.”
Minister of Water Resources Lim Kien Hor told VOA Khmer Cambodia was committed to environmental issues and was watching dam construction on the Mekong carefully.
“Cambodia is paying a lot of attention to the water issue,” he said. “Laos plans to build a dam, and we are interested to have a talk with them about this.”
The Khmer Association for Rural Development Cambodia, based in Kratie province, worries that the construction of hydroelectric dams could cause serious flooding and destroy thousands of hectares of farmland.
“I think in the future, Cambodia might have a big problem, because when they build the dam or construct some other things in China, Laos or Vietnam,” Mickey Sampson, a country director for the Resource Development International Cambodia told VOA in Khmer in Washington.
Water that flows from the Himalayas flows into Cambodia, bringing to the Tonle Sap river mud and soil,” Sampson said. But damming the Mekong river can reduce the flow of fertile mud and change the diversity of wildlife in river systems, he said.
Meanwhile, the runoff of fertilizers and pesticides by Cambodian farmers into rivers is also hurting the waterways, he said.
Sampson said his organization has had in place for three years water monitoring systems, “so when they build the dam, then we can see clearly that the quality of water and diversity are changing in Cambodia.”
Minister of Water Resources Lim Kien Hor told VOA Khmer Cambodia was committed to environmental issues and was watching dam construction on the Mekong carefully.
“Cambodia is paying a lot of attention to the water issue,” he said. “Laos plans to build a dam, and we are interested to have a talk with them about this.”
The Khmer Association for Rural Development Cambodia, based in Kratie province, worries that the construction of hydroelectric dams could cause serious flooding and destroy thousands of hectares of farmland.
3 comments:
Well Mr Lim, you better act faster.
of course, we all share the same mekong river waterway, so building any dam anywhere along its course will affect cambodia. isn't that's they create the mekong river commission in the first place, so to preven any kind of ill-effect consequences?
Lake and Rivers as a giant fish lake
Cambodia needs to have a vision of Tonle Sap Lake and other lakes and rivers being a giant fish lake to feed Cambodians and their neighbours. Then it needs to develop a strategy to combat pollution and siltation (water becoming shallow because of different elements deposited at the bottom), the restriction of the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. It also needs to have a programme of planting rows and rows of trees around and inside Tonle Sap Lake and other lakes and along rivers to stop siltation and to serve as shelter for fish to spawn (laying eggs).
The implementation of this vision and strategy would create a lot of jobs, reduce poverty, and increase riparian villagers' income.
When the French came to Cambodia and rowed boats in Tonle Sap Lake, they would hit fish with every stroke of oar in the water. During the Khmer Rouge times, there was plenty of fish because of absence of freedom to fish and restriction of consumption. People could even catch fish by hand.
Fish will come back with that strategy. Of course we need to effectively implement the fishing ban in spawning seasons and have alternative meat for people during these seasons. Fishermen should be encouraged to throw back in the water fish with eggs.
It would further help if Cambodia can have fish breeding stations at the mouth of all rivers flowing to Tonle Sap lake and let go of those fries (small fish) at a certain time during the flood reason.
Just a dream, or wishful thinking?
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
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