An environmental advocacy group has accused the cabinet and a senior bureaucrat of ignoring a constitutional rule requiring an independent agency to be set up to investigate sensitive industrial projects.
In a complaint to the ombudsman,Srisuwan Janya, chairman of Stop Global Warming Association, says the cabinet and Environment Ministry permanent secretary Saksit Tridech are dragging their feet in establishing the independent agency.
The cabinet and Mr Saksit were being lax in following the requirements of Article 67, which could affect people living close to heavy industry zones.
Article 67 prohibits any project or activity which might damage the environment, natural resources or biological diversity until the impact on the environment and the health of people in nearby communities had been evaluated.
The public and interested parties must be consulted. It also requires an independent agency to be established.
The ministry ordered the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion and related agencies to draft a bill to set up the agency.
Mr Saksit dismissed the complaint,saying the bill was in the pipeline.
"We are waiting for more comments from relevant agencies," he said.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment