PM orders restoration of S’ville beach

PRIME Minister Hun Sen has ordered Minister of Land Management Chea Sophara to personally inspect claims of landfilling at Praek Treng beach.

He a lso ordered a private company to dredge t he beach a nd restore it to its prev ious condition.

The order, issued on September 18, was made after a deluge of socia l media criticisms t hat t he beach is public propert y and that landfilling turns its clear waters muddy.

“Following the order of Prime Minister Hun Sen on September 18, 2018, H.E. Chea Sophara, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Land Management, will inspect t he la ndf i l ling at Praek Treng beach in v illage 4, O’tres commune, Steung Hav district, Preah Sihanouk province and order to dredge the land out of the sea and maintain the natura l beach in t he origina l stage,” said a September 19 Mi n i st r y of L a nd Ma na gement announcement.

Director of the Cambodian Nationa l Resea rch Orga n i sat ion (CNRO) Sok Sok hom told The Post on Wednesday t hat Sophara obser ved t he restoration a f ter a week-long i nspect ion of Praek Treng beach.

“After the Minister of Land Management went there for a week – and I also observed – I have not seen any dredging activity yet, and there is a fence completely surrounding the land,” he said.

Sok hom ex pressed disappoi nt ment t hat none of t he measures has been ta ken yet.

Preah Sihanouk provincial spokesman Or Saroeun told The Post that the provincial hall has taken action in the matter.

“Honest ly, t he la nd ha s not been dredged out of the sea completely as yet. But, we have not f i nished t he procedures,” he said.

Ministry of Land Management spokesman Seng Lot declined to comment on the matter due to insufficient information from the site.

Ministry of Environment spokesman Neth Pheaktra said the ministry will not comment on the matter and to reserve the case for the National Committee on Coastal Area Management and Development to take further steps.