Company Building Lower Sesan 2 Dam Gets OK to Clear Land

Representatives of a massive hydropower dam project in Stung Treng province’s Sesan district approached local authorities late last month informing them that the government had granted the company permission to clear 36,000 hec­tares of land for a reservoir, officials said on Sunday. The 400-megawatt Lower Se­san 2 dam planned on the confluence of the Sesan and Srepok rivers and approved by the Council of Ministers in November will displace about 5,000 villagers, who have yet to receive any information related to their resettlement. … “I would like to inform the commune chief that our company has received a license from the government to clear and start construction of the reservoir area that will be 36,000 hectares, and that right now, our company may begin to clear the forestland,” Mr. Me­kong said, reading from the letter signed by Mr. Meng. … Meach Mean, a coordinator for 3S Rivers Protection Network, said that information on this project—which is slated to start this year—has been extremely sparse, from resettlement plans to the construction start date. “The company should make clear what steps or what process or what plan they are working on,” he said. …

http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/company-building-lower-sesan-2-dam-gets-ok-to-clear-land-9252/