Merit-making ceremony to celebrate court victory
Villagers in Ubon Ratchathani's Sawang Wirawong district will organise a major merit-making ceremony on Saturday in appreciation of their victory in a six-year running battle against the construction of a biomass-fired power plant in tambon Tha Chang, pro
The Ubon Ratchathani Adminis-trative Court on September 27 ordered the revocation of Bua Sommai Bio-mass Co’s licence to operate a 9-megawatt biomass power plant.
In their petition to the court, 185 villagers claimed the company’s activities would cause damage and violate the community’s right to natural resources, biological diversity, and a healthy existence with a good quality of life. They also accused the company of not complying with the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act.
The villagers began rallying against the project in October 2008 out of concerns that the developer’s licence was not granted according to the law and that the firm reportedly dug a large well without the local administration’s permission.
Bua Sommai executives said the company’s attorney and its executive board would decide later whether to appeal, but in the meantime, the company would honour the ruling and not build any more structures.
