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The Head of Staff of Director’s Office in Rakhine Department of Environmental Conservation, U Than Htike Aung, said the process of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) should be inevitably conducted in order to prevent the natural environment in every mega-investment project.
“In term of planning EIA, we must implement the EIA. Just look at the project type. Like how much will they manufacture in that project? or what type of project is it? or how would the natural environment be impacted due to their various types of industrial wastes? So, we need to plan in accordance with the type of their project. In that case, we instructed them to plan the EIA onto the project by measuring the environmental impacts comparing with their daily and monthly product,” he said.
It said the related department do not know certainly whether the constructing mega metal treatment plant has conducted EIA or not.
Regarding to that, we still could not contact with the spokesperson from Kayah State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The Person-in-Charge of Myanmar Alliance for Transparency and Accountability (MATA), Khoon Angelo, said the current construction of mega metal treatment plant in Industrial Zone at Nwar La Woe Village-tract, Loikaw Township, was proceeding without EIA process and negotiation with any other partner organizations, and lack of expression to publics.
“The metal treatment plant does not operate like you can melt up the metal with just the firewood. It is operated with a lot of chemicals. Where would those chemical wastes be disposed? In this disposal process, they will use water. After that, the water sensitivity will lastly reach to Bilue Chaung (River). It (the plant) is only far about two miles from Bilue Chaung,” said Khoon Angelo.
It said those kinds of mega projects could also impact to the local farmlands.
It also said the construction is still carrying on although the Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) protested the project as it can directly or indirectly destruct the soil and natural environment.
Any investment projects should be conducted with the three assessments of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Initial Environmental Evaluation (IEE), and Environmental Management Plan (EMP), and the project should be proceeded only after they apply to the ministry in accordance with the Environmental Conservation Law and get the approval certificate from them.
U Than Htike Aung explained that they (implementers) must conduct the EIA and have to raise awareness about the potential impacts of environment to public. Then they must stop their project or continue the negotiation if the public protest their project.