Judges back Klity Creek clean-up
KANCHANABURI: A decade-long lead contamination case ended when the Supreme Court yesterday ordered a mining company accused of contaminating a community water resource to pay 36 million baht in compensation to affected villagers and restore the environment.
The Klity Creek community affected by lead contamination is urging authorities to ensure the Supreme Court’s order for the clean-up and rehabilitation is quickly enforced.
The court ordered Lead Concentrates (Thailand), the mining company, to pay compensation to 151 villagers and restore the environment.
Its decision stands by earlier rulings of the lower courts.
In December 2010, the provincial court ordered the mining company to pay 36 million baht in compensation and the Appeal Court upheld the decision in February 2012.
The lawsuit was lodged in October 2007 by a group of 151 Karen villagers seeking over one billion baht in compensation for the damage. They said the polluted creek, their main water source, has also caused chronic illnesses.
Surapong Kongchantuk, director of the Karen Studies and Development Centre, said he hopes the ruling will prompt the company and co-defendants to take responsibility and speed up their efforts.
He said the creek has been contaminated for almost 20 years and despite an early order by the Supreme Court’s Environment Division for the firm to clean it up, no action has been taken.
According to Mr Surapong, the Supreme Court also said in its ruling the lawsuit was lodged in the public interest, so the villagers exercised their constitutional rights to manage resources in their community.
Yasoeh Nasuansuwan, a Klity Creek’s villager, yesterday welcomed the ruling and called on the parties concerned to speed up the clean-up and rehabilitation.
“We hope the Pollution Control Department will step in and make sure the defendants comply with the court’s order as soon as possible,” he said.
Pinant Chotirotseranee, president of a local environment protection group, said yesterday justice had been served.