ENVIRONMENT WATER POLLUTION

Villagers dispute boat spill verdict

Tests at local plant called off, for now

POST REPORTERS

Ang Thong Villagers do not believe the Pollution Control Department (PCD)'s
finding that a capsized boat loaded with molasses polluted the Chao Phraya
river. They want a transparent investigation into the deadly water pollution
which caused thousands of fish to perish. The department's finding cut short an
inspection by local people of a monosodium glutamate factory owned by KTMSG Co,
which had been accused of discharging waste water into the river and causing the
massive death of fish.

''If the department had not jumped to the conclusion, our investigation would
have continued,'' said Sutep Kakaew, chairman of tambon Bang Sadet
administration organisation in Ang Thong's Pa Mok district.

Part of the river flowing past Pa Mok and Ayutthaya's Bang Ban district was
heavily polluted by waste water this week, killing several thousands of fish
raised in baskets along the river.

The incident sparked angry protests by 300 fish farmers, which have continued
for four days.

The company on Thursday agreed to set up a probe team, consisting of company
staff, local body officials, and villagers, to investigate whether the company
is releasing untreated waste water via an underground pipe into the river.

But after Natural Resources and Environment Minister Kasem Snidvongs announced
that the pollution was probably caused by the boat which capsized, company
executives stopped the investigation, and barred villagers from the factory
compound, Mr Sutep said.

Mr Kasem said no other substance that caused water pollution was detected in the
department's laboratory test, so the accident probably caused the disaster.

The finding has failed to convince villagers, who claimed the dead fish were
found only in a river section downstream of the factory, not in the area where
the boat turned over.

''We don't know what to do if they don't believe us,'' said Pollution Control
chief Supat Wangwongwatana. ''Our finding is based on scientific evidence.''

Anuphan Ittharatana, a director of the department's water quality management
bureau, said that an initial test of water samples from the pollution site found
that the heavy metal and phosphorus were at acceptable levels.

The department was conducting further tests to search for other toxic substances
that would help scientists identify the polluter, he said.

Mr. Anuphan added that a mathematics model would be constructed to test an
assumption that the water pollution was the result of molasses contamination.

After such an accident, bacteria in the water would consume large amounts of
oxygen to digest the molasses, which would result in the level of dissolved
oxygen dropping sharply.

''The model can also be used as scientific evidence in court,'' he added.

However, Industrial Works Department chief Rachada Singalavanija said he would
send staff to inspect whether the factory correctly treated waste water before
releasing it. The inspection would take around one month.

The company would be closed and fined 100,000 baht if it was found not to have
appropriate waste water treatment.

''It would face legal action even though it was not the cause of the massive
death of fish, because releasing untreated waste water is a violation of the
Industrial Works Act,'' Mr Rachada said.

Yesterday water quality in the river section from Pa Mok to Bang Ban district
met standards, but that of the section in Bang Pa-in was described as ''very bad'',
according to acceptable standards.

Bangkok Post

Saturday March 17, 2007