Battambang Villagers Complain About Abattoir Waste

Battambang: Citizens have criticized a local commune chief for not solving the case pollution in Battambang province.

Many families who depend on water from the Chinese irrigation system passing through Snoeng Keut village, Kor village and Samrong village and Snoeng commune in Banan district say authorities have ignored requests and refused to help find solutions to the requests or concerns of citizens.

They say a business where chickens and pigs are slaughtered has been dumping rotten waste into a ditch which empties into the canal for many years in Snung Keut village, Snung commune, Banan district.

The canal system flows from south to north, intersecting with the Chinese canal at the point of Snung Keut village, and on the road to the east (Phnom Chak Husk) is the location of a business which plucks chickens and slaughters pigs for sale, right at the corner of the canal.

But not only the above villages of Snung commune, it can also affect the people in Phnom Sampov commune. According to the villagers, the owner of the large abattoir was named Mab Mon, male. This business kills thousands of chickens and dozens of pigs per night, and has been operating for many years.

Villagers say Mab Mon does not seem to care about residents nearby. This person has caused all kinds of impact on the people in the village through his daily business, especially incineration of animal waste and draining wastewater into the water system.

Villagers confirmed that during the rainy season, he dumped rotten waste (chicken feathers and innards etc.) through buried pipes and into the canals used by the villagers. When the dry months come, he collects the waste and burns them, causing smoke and terrible smells to fill the whole village.

Villagers reported a series of complaints to local authorities, but say none of the officials cared and ignored them.

A commune chief stated that at the end of 2017, after she was named commune chief, she called the owner of the chicken coop to educate him and made a contract, but this person does not respect it. Now she is waiting to meet the location owner to resolve the issue.

However, residents who have been severely affected by the above-mentioned rotten waste have said that if the village chief does not take action, they will make a petition to the provincial administration and the provincial environment department to intervene in this matter. MCPN