Chef fined for rubbish Riverbank collapses in capital dumping in P Sihanouk
A CHEF working for a casino was slapped with a fine for dumping 15 bags of waste on a Sihanoukville street during a downpour on Friday.
Preah Sihanouk provincial Department of Environment (DoE) and the local authority questioned the chef who was hired by Casino New Golden Wealth, after viewing a video clip revealing his actions.
The chef, identified as Wang Mu Qung, was reprimanded and ordered to pay the fine in accordance with the Environmental Law.
The video clip showed that the garbage was packed and piled outside the casino, and when it rained, Wang was seen kicking the garbage towards the street.
However, DoE head Samut Sothearith did not reveal the amount of fine the chef was ordered to pay.
“It is an individual issue and not the fault of the company [casino]. Still, the company agreed to take responsibility and assured that the offence will not be repeated,” he said.
Sothearith said dumping waste on the streets affected the sewerage systems and blocked the waterways. Hence, DoE officials issued the casino with a warning for not disposing of its waste properly.
The chef acknowledged his mistake and wrote an apology letter to the Cambodian people. He also appealed to the public not to commit similar offences.
“I apologise to Cambodians nationwide for throwing waste on the street, contributing to blocking the sewerage systems and messing up the city. Please don’t follow my act,” Wang said in his letter.
Sothearith said: “If he repeats the offence, we will impose a fine twice [the amount he has been ordered to pay] or send the case to court, but I think he has learnt his lesson and will stop doing it.” FIFTY metres of riverbank in Chroy Changvar district collapsed on Saturday amid rising water levels in the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers which have caused the capital’s riverside regions to flood.
According to Klang Huot, the district governor, traffic has been impacted by the collapse in Prek Takong village.
Huot said that the incident occurred when portions of a 20-metre tall bank gave way.
“We ordered the departments of transportation and water resources to work together on the repair,” he said, adding that there hasn’t been any additional erosion damage.
He said that after the collapse, authorities used stones to reinforce the surrounding area as a temporary measure, but they are waiting for ministry officials to provide a permanent solution.
Brak Sophea, whose home is less than a metre from the collapsed section, had her family move out with their belongings and currently live with a relative. Five other families did the same.
“I heard the collapse. We don’t dare stay at home,” she said.
Sophea noticed that about 100 metres of riverbank have collapsed so far, destroying two homes already.