Rubbish chokes the fringes of Boeung Kak lake in this file photo. Developer Shukaku Inc says the pollution of the lake is one reason for its reclamation for a housing and commercial project. (Photo by: VANDY RATTANA)Friday, 21 November 2008
Written by Sebastian Strangio and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
The Phnom Penh Post
Rights groups are uncertain controversial Boeung Kak project will meet the standards of its own environmental report
SHUKAKU Inc, the local developer filling in Phnom Penh's Boeung Kak lake as part of a commercial and housing development, has manipulated its own environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) to justify construction, say local housing rights groups.
The Shukaku impact study, a 55-page extract of which has been obtained by the Post, highlights some of the challenges arising from the 133-hectare project but provides broad justification for the decision to fill the lake with sand dredged from the Tonle Sap, a process that has come under fire from urban architects who fear it will increase flooding in the city.
According to the study, the filling of the lake "will not cause any negative effect" since the body of water "does not play a role as a natural lake [or] bio-fishery".
It also states the development will end what it calls "Silent Death" - diseases resulting from vegetables grown in the polluted waters - and argues that the lake was being reclaimed, in either case, by a flood of rural migrants.
Among its recommendations, the report states that "the company has to allocate [a] budget for environmental management implementation".
False logic
However, housing rights advocates have dismissed the argument that filling in the lake constitutes effective environmental management.
"It's a completely false argument," said Hallam Goad, advisor to housing rights advocacy group Sahmakum Teang Tnaut.
"The lake is polluted, for sure - partly through human effluent and partly through other kinds of waste materials - but you need to clean the lake, not fill it in."
Goad also criticised sections of the report that claim the development "will not cause negative impacts to infrastructure systems", or that it "will improve the traffic system in Phnom Penh" and attract up to US$2 billion worth of investment.
"All I can see is that the $2 billion is the value of the real estate they will create by filling in the lake, which will go straight into their own pockets. In comparison to the key open space in the city, it doesn't make any sense at all," he said.
A legal requirement
Tea Chup, an undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Environment, said that developers were required by law to conduct an impact study prior to beginning construction on projects, and that the results from the Boeung Kak study has been sent to the ministry for review.
But one of the more contested segments of the study relates to what it refers to as public consultation and awareness, pledging that the company "will conduct public consultations in 2008" and that "project information and [the] ESIA report will be posted on and accessible from the website".
Members of the Save Boeung Kak campaign have long maintained exactly the opposite - that information about the project has been notoriously difficult to obtain - casting doubts on the independence and accuracy of the impact study's findings.
"[The ESIA] was not independent at all," said David Pred, country director of Bridges Across Borders, an international human rights organisation.
"There was no transparent bidding process for the project itself, let alone the ESIA. As far as I know, it was conducted by the company. It has their name on it."
But Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Pa Socheatvong said the study had involved local and international NGOs, and denied that it had been withheld. "It can't be said that we did not release the report," he said in an interview with the Post on September 22.
"It's just that our release was narrow, and it might be that people were not interested at the time."
The reclamation was suspended earlier this week due to flooding in the city's Russey Keo district, but municipal officials denied the filling had anything to do with the floods.
SHUKAKU Inc, the local developer filling in Phnom Penh's Boeung Kak lake as part of a commercial and housing development, has manipulated its own environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) to justify construction, say local housing rights groups.
The Shukaku impact study, a 55-page extract of which has been obtained by the Post, highlights some of the challenges arising from the 133-hectare project but provides broad justification for the decision to fill the lake with sand dredged from the Tonle Sap, a process that has come under fire from urban architects who fear it will increase flooding in the city.
According to the study, the filling of the lake "will not cause any negative effect" since the body of water "does not play a role as a natural lake [or] bio-fishery".
It also states the development will end what it calls "Silent Death" - diseases resulting from vegetables grown in the polluted waters - and argues that the lake was being reclaimed, in either case, by a flood of rural migrants.
Among its recommendations, the report states that "the company has to allocate [a] budget for environmental management implementation".
False logic
However, housing rights advocates have dismissed the argument that filling in the lake constitutes effective environmental management.
"It's a completely false argument," said Hallam Goad, advisor to housing rights advocacy group Sahmakum Teang Tnaut.
"The lake is polluted, for sure - partly through human effluent and partly through other kinds of waste materials - but you need to clean the lake, not fill it in."
Goad also criticised sections of the report that claim the development "will not cause negative impacts to infrastructure systems", or that it "will improve the traffic system in Phnom Penh" and attract up to US$2 billion worth of investment.
"All I can see is that the $2 billion is the value of the real estate they will create by filling in the lake, which will go straight into their own pockets. In comparison to the key open space in the city, it doesn't make any sense at all," he said.
A legal requirement
Tea Chup, an undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Environment, said that developers were required by law to conduct an impact study prior to beginning construction on projects, and that the results from the Boeung Kak study has been sent to the ministry for review.
But one of the more contested segments of the study relates to what it refers to as public consultation and awareness, pledging that the company "will conduct public consultations in 2008" and that "project information and [the] ESIA report will be posted on and accessible from the website".
Members of the Save Boeung Kak campaign have long maintained exactly the opposite - that information about the project has been notoriously difficult to obtain - casting doubts on the independence and accuracy of the impact study's findings.
"[The ESIA] was not independent at all," said David Pred, country director of Bridges Across Borders, an international human rights organisation.
"There was no transparent bidding process for the project itself, let alone the ESIA. As far as I know, it was conducted by the company. It has their name on it."
But Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Pa Socheatvong said the study had involved local and international NGOs, and denied that it had been withheld. "It can't be said that we did not release the report," he said in an interview with the Post on September 22.
"It's just that our release was narrow, and it might be that people were not interested at the time."
The reclamation was suspended earlier this week due to flooding in the city's Russey Keo district, but municipal officials denied the filling had anything to do with the floods.
10 comments:
This a preffered environment that Cambodian people want. They deserve it for they voted for CPP/Hun Sen.
They are to be blamed if they say they suffer. No angel can help them if they do not help themselves.
I witness the result of supporting CPP/Hun Sen.
Khmer Republican
Environment of the lake won't be an issue - the lake can be turned into a natural lake if the government takes its step to protect and properly manage the area but bribe from the developer is already received and spent on expensive liquor and mistresses. One of the rivers in England had the same issue with waste and pollution but the govern had turned it into a natural river once again in just 3 years.
I agree with both of you guy!
The government officials both the PM and the rest are environmental illiterates.
these people don't want the gov't to do anything about this stinking lake area, and to keep it infested with mosquitos, etc, in the center of the beautiful, cosmopolitan city of phnom penh, how could they? i say, these people must be relocated to make way for a better development than the scummy pictures above! agreed with the previous observors who said that phnom penh doesn't need any more lakes and ponds; it's already surrounded by the tonle sap river, the bassac river, and the mighty mekong river and more, so, to make sense of it all, what make them think phnom penh needs more lakes and ponds; so pests, critters, and mosquitos can infest it? makes no sense to anyone, educated enough to see the big picture! god bless cambodia.
The government is colluding for corrupt money. I don't think they care about the city or the people they serve. Money can buy them... Actually they are for sale. People with proper education and rationale would not thinking the way the are thinking... It is just sad to know the people are suffering through this short-sighted and selfish decision.
they must clean phnom penh up, it's so unsightly, causing an eyesore, to say the least! looks like some people need a thorough lesson on hygiene and cleanliness!
this lake must go, i don't want my kids to get sick from it; and of course, i wouldn't want my city phnom penh to look like this either! any question?
No.
-The ruling people's mindset and education-people so doubt about'em.
-Strategies:
Their associates, cronies and clans drive luxurous cars, living in Villas-that's development!Sic and Sick!
People talk against their life-long addicted-power, the people will be mentally suffered and through cunning and hardly-understandable methods, the ruling people would seek ways to abolish the out-spokens.
-Solution:
How can they release the grip of their power holding?Answer: No way. Then the MOTHER OF NATURE OR JUSTICE EXECUTED BY GOD MUST BE IMPOSED!
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