02 Nov 2008: A man travels by boat in Russei Keo district, Phnom Penh city (Photo: Chea Makara, RFA)02 Nov 2008
By Chea Makara
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer
On Sunday, the opposition SRP warned that it will lead Phnom Penh residents who have been victimized by flooding from the filling of lakes to demonstrate if the government does not put an end to these lake fillings along the capital suburbs. The opposition party indicated that the lake fillings were undertaken for land development and it also accused that these lake fillings led to the current severe flooding in Russei Keo district.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said that the government must stop the lake fillings in Phnom Penh city for land development purposes. Currently, lake fillings are taking place in Boeung Proyab, Beoung Kak and Boeung Paungpeay. He said that theses lakes must be preserved as water reservoirs to prevent flooding.
Sam Rainsy indicated also that flooding will be more severe in the future once the filling of Boeung Kak Lake will be completed: “We sent our questions to the government, and we sent a petition asking for a government representative to come and provide answers. If there is no result, we will hold a demonstration and we will invite all the victimized residents in Phnom Penh to demonstrate to demand that all these companies end their lake filling activities immediately, otherwise, the residents will not accept this situation.”
Kob Sleh, the Russei Keo deputy district governor, rejected the accusation leveled by the opposition party, and he blamed the flooding in the district on the intense rainfalls in Phnom Penh city during this rainy season. Furthermore, land filling activities led to the cutting of the water drainage system into the drainage channels consisting of the O’Veng channel, the Bak Touk channel, the Kob Srov channel and the 598 channel. All these channels connect to the Kob Srov dike.
Kob Sleh indicated also that the filling of Boeung Kak Lake does not affect the current flooding and that Boeung Kak Lake is a dead Lake and is not connected to any drainage system.
Kob Sleh said: “They don’t know the geography, they kept on talking, they have a way of talking. They did not talk like a constructor, but they talk like critics. They can talk about it, but they should look at the geography also, where does the extent of the flooding in Russei Keo, in particular along the north of Phnom Penh in Russei Keo, where does it come from?”
Kob Sleh indicated that the water is receding gradually after the authority was able to release the water into the lake, and he said that the water will continue to recede in one week if there is no additional rainfall.
He added that, up to now, flooding covers the Svay Pak district (Red Lantern district) all the way to the Kob Srov dike, and water will not recede as long as the sewers cannot be unplugged at Lou (Sewer) village located in Svay Pak district, near National Road No. 5, in order to drain water into the lake.
It should be noted that Russei Keo district has been flooded for more than 2 months already, and residents must travel by boat, while others must live in makeshift tents because their houses are flooded.
The areas that are severely affected by the flood are: Pochentong, Phnom Penh Thmei road, Hanoi road, Boeng Proyab Lake, Teuk Thla, Phsar Toch, Tuol Sangker and Tuol Kok, to name a few.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said that the government must stop the lake fillings in Phnom Penh city for land development purposes. Currently, lake fillings are taking place in Boeung Proyab, Beoung Kak and Boeung Paungpeay. He said that theses lakes must be preserved as water reservoirs to prevent flooding.
Sam Rainsy indicated also that flooding will be more severe in the future once the filling of Boeung Kak Lake will be completed: “We sent our questions to the government, and we sent a petition asking for a government representative to come and provide answers. If there is no result, we will hold a demonstration and we will invite all the victimized residents in Phnom Penh to demonstrate to demand that all these companies end their lake filling activities immediately, otherwise, the residents will not accept this situation.”
Kob Sleh, the Russei Keo deputy district governor, rejected the accusation leveled by the opposition party, and he blamed the flooding in the district on the intense rainfalls in Phnom Penh city during this rainy season. Furthermore, land filling activities led to the cutting of the water drainage system into the drainage channels consisting of the O’Veng channel, the Bak Touk channel, the Kob Srov channel and the 598 channel. All these channels connect to the Kob Srov dike.
Kob Sleh indicated also that the filling of Boeung Kak Lake does not affect the current flooding and that Boeung Kak Lake is a dead Lake and is not connected to any drainage system.
Kob Sleh said: “They don’t know the geography, they kept on talking, they have a way of talking. They did not talk like a constructor, but they talk like critics. They can talk about it, but they should look at the geography also, where does the extent of the flooding in Russei Keo, in particular along the north of Phnom Penh in Russei Keo, where does it come from?”
Kob Sleh indicated that the water is receding gradually after the authority was able to release the water into the lake, and he said that the water will continue to recede in one week if there is no additional rainfall.
He added that, up to now, flooding covers the Svay Pak district (Red Lantern district) all the way to the Kob Srov dike, and water will not recede as long as the sewers cannot be unplugged at Lou (Sewer) village located in Svay Pak district, near National Road No. 5, in order to drain water into the lake.
It should be noted that Russei Keo district has been flooded for more than 2 months already, and residents must travel by boat, while others must live in makeshift tents because their houses are flooded.
The areas that are severely affected by the flood are: Pochentong, Phnom Penh Thmei road, Hanoi road, Boeng Proyab Lake, Teuk Thla, Phsar Toch, Tuol Sangker and Tuol Kok, to name a few.
3 comments:
Get rid of Yeay Phu and her bastard husband and there will be no flooding anymore.
Good idea.
It's time to re-think CCP domination in commune/sangkat district and province.
Once they are elected they always turn their back at us.
Next commune election they will pay a price, especially in PHNOM PENH, as they do not hear our voice.
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