Clean-up of creek to kick off this week

Moves will be made for the first time this week to start a clean-up operation of lead-tainted sediment in Kanchanaburi’s Lower Klity Village– the scene of a long-running environmental saga.
The Pollution Control Department (PCD) will hire a firm to undertake proper treatment of sediment to allow locals to enjoy a safer environment.
Moreover, villagers will receive nearly Bt4 million as compensation from the PCD after a ruling in their favour last month by the Supreme Administrative Court.
However, local residents said they will have to be cautious about water consumption as the lead level in their local river remains dangerously high.



Contamination in a small creek in Lower Klity, caused by the leak of lead-tainted wastewater released from the nearby Ore Dressing Factory, was first reported in 1988.
With the creek contaminated, the owner of the factory dredged lead-tainted sediment from a 2.5km-long section of the bottom of the watercourse. About 3,000 tonnes of sediment was buried underground a short distance away – in eight different locations along Klity creek over 14 years ago – and has never been removed or treated.
But underground ponds, used to store lead-tainted sediments, have been destroyed and the tainted sediment has flowed into the small river.
To date, local villagers cannot safely use the water or eat aquatic animals from Klity Creek, as the large amount of tainted sediment is still located near the riverbed.
PCD director-general Wichien Jungrungruang said the agency had selected Better World Green to undertake a Bt7-million clean-up. From Thursday, the company will begin to remove the first batch of lead-tainted sediment buried in several areas not far from the creek.
Some of the lead-tainted sediment will taken away.
For the remainder, stored under the ground, the PCD will seek more funds from the government to support further work.
PCD will also give Bt3.8 million as compensation, ordered by Supreme Administrative Court, to 22 villagers who petitioned the Central Administrative Court in 2004, complaining that Klity Creek, their village’s lifeline, was heavily polluted.
Further work to rehabilitate Klity Creek will need to be done. Wichien said he would organise two public forums to gather ideas from local residents and environmental experts on the best way to do this.