Local residents and environmental activists are rallying to demand a ban on the transport of lignite from a mine in Burma
Local residents and environmental activists are rallying to demand a ban on the transport of lignite from a mine in Burma through the northern province.
About 30 protesters gathered yesterday in front of the Pho Khun Meng Rai Maharaj monument in Muang district.
They carried anti-mining banners and expressed worries about the plan to transport lignite which is damaging to people’s health and the environment.
Villagers voiced their concerns after learning that up to 5,000 tonnes of lignite mined by Saraburi Coal Co, an affiliate of Italthai Public Co, which holds a lignite mining concession in Burma, would be transported daily through tambon Mae Salong in Mae Fa Luang district and tambon Pa Sang in Mae Chan.
Mae Chan district would be used as a transit point before the lignite was sent to fuel cement plants in Saraburi.
The group was headed by Wutipong Sawanchote, chairman of Mae Salong Nok tambon administration, local leaders and Preeyanuch Parnpradub, first runner-up in the Miss Thailand 1988 contest and a native of Mae Chan district.
Mr Wutipong said a public hearing was held in Mae Fa Luang district and residents disagreed with the project proposed by Saraburi Coal Co.
The company is pushing ahead with its plan to use the province as a transport route and transit point.
Villagers have said they are worried about dust from the lignite and the threat of water pollution if it was allowed to be stored in tambon Pa Sang.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/192940/villagers-fight-lignite-freight?
