Dam site still logged: NGOs

13 February 2014
The Phnom Penh Post
Environment and natural resources / Environmental and biodiversity protection / Forest policy and administration / Forest products / Forests and forestry / Generation and distribution facilities / Government / Hydropower dams / Land / Logging and timber / Ministries and other national bodies / Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries / Protected forest / Renewable energy production
Cambodian Human Rights Task Force / Chinese aid / CHRTF / Conservation International / Lor Rasmey / MDS Import-Export Company / Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries / Natural Resource Protection Group / Ouch Leng / Stung Atai hydropower dam / Try Pheap / Wildlife Alliance

NGOS have accused logging tycoon Try Pheap’s MDS Import-Export Company – which had a licence to clear forest during the construction of the Stung Atai hydropower dam in Pursat – of continuing to log the area despite the dam being finished. Ouch Leng, director of the Cambodian Human Rights Task Force (CHRTF), said he and officials from two other NGOs visited the dam site last week and observed logging in the area. … Two other NGOs – the Natural Resource Protection Group and another that did not want to be named due to fear of repercussions – accompanied CHRTF members on the visit and supported Leng’s claims that logging was continuing around the Chinese-built dam in Veal Veng district. Documents seen by the Post show that the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries approved a request in 2009 for MDS to collect wood from the area while the dam was under construction. …

 May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/dam-site-still-logged-ngos