Kampot dredging escalates
Dredging in Kampot has escalated in the face of community concerns, with more boats now mining sand right in front of the provincial capital and dumping vast amounts of it directly outside the provincial land management authority. The Post counted a total of 17 boats hauling loads of sand on the Kampong Bay estuary on Saturday, up from seven three weeks ago, in an operation that villagers and tourism operators complain is being conducted with no community consultation and no disclosure of where the profits are going. Provincial officials have refused to reveal which companies are involved or where the sand is going, but documents obtained by the Post reveal that at least one company, Thaknin Tharith, is licensed to dredge in the area for export.Sao Sambo, a Kampot provincial council member, confirmed yesterday that sand outside the provincial land management authority would also be used for a large construction project in the area.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012030554851/National-news/kampot-dredging-only-grows.html
