President’s push for sodium in Northeast seen as a menace to environment and health
PUBLISHED: 5 Jun 2024 at 19: 24
A number of communities are preparing to file legal actions against the government after it approved a master program for mine activity in the nation late last month, which they claim will endanger their living environments and the environment.
According to Chutamas Srihattapadungkit, coordinator of the Project for Public Policy on Mineral Resources ( PPM), mining has become a difficult problem for many people who live close to resource exploitation zones.
After the government approved the next version of its mine action master strategy last November, they have complained to civil society organizations about the danger of serious effects on people’s health and the atmosphere.
Ms. Chutamas noted that Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Sakon Nakhon, and Udon Thani are among the regions where the government of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has a clear plan to support and promote sodium mine.
The place is regarded as the country’s main source of minerals for sodium, which is used for making fertiliser. Because marble mountains are major sources of water to nourish farms, she said, making stone mining a problem.
” If our atmosphere is to be made stronger, it should not have any mine activity”, she said. We are then looking for data to submit a complaint to the Supreme Administrative Court, requesting the removal of this mine area from the plan, she said.
This month’s judge is expected to hear the complaint.
Pranom Somwong, from Protection International, said the miners program goes against the government’s plan of building a minimal- carbon economy and its international commitment to save the world from warming temperatures.
Supaporn Malailoy, from the Enlaw Thai Foundation, said living in a clear setting is a fundamental right for all human beings.
According to him, the government should make sure people can live in areas with a deteriorating setting or performing healthful activities.