Displaced S’ville residents get land after canal restoration
THE Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration has completed the first phase of granting social land concessions (SLCs) to 181 residents affected by a canal restoration project.
Provincial Hall spokesman Kheang Phearum told The Post on Sunday that the SLCs include 4.5m by 20m plots for each family to build a house. The area is located at Pou Thoeung Village, Bit Traing Commune, Prey Nop District, Preah Sihanouk Province.
“The first step is that we have prepared the road infrastructure at the site and plots have been distributed to all families,” he said.
Sihanoukville municipal governor Y Sokleng said on Saturday the people receiving plots have to check and verify their names at the Sihanoukville municipal hall by July 17. On July 22 at 2pm, all 181 families have to go to the Sihanoukville municipal hall again to draw lots for their individual plots.
“In case the 181 families do not come to verify their name and do not attend the draw, the Preah Sihanouk provincial administration will not be responsible for the loss of the benefit,” he said.
Sokleng said on Sunday that Phase 2 of the SLC will involve about 50 families and will be conducted in the near future.
Khan Saran, an SLC recipient said she is delighted with the compensation.
“My family has five members, including three children under my responsibility. I have lived on this stream for over 16 years and I just borrowed more than $10,000 from a bank last year to build a house. I have to pay the bank more than $200 a month.
“I make some money selling vegetables in the market. But now my house is bulldozed because we live near the stream. I am thankful they are giving us the land. I don’t know what I would do without it,” she said.
Preah Sihanouk provincial coordinator for rights group Adhoc Cheap Sotheary said through her work with people affected by the restoration of the canal, citizens are happy with the administration’s compensation.
“What people are worried about is the fear of the provincial administration not giving them land. But now everyone is happy that they will receive land. The people did not protest or have any problems after the city administration informed them of the benefit,” she said.