Egat Ordered To Pay Compensations Over Mae Moh Lignite Power Plant

[george]

Egat ordered to pay compensations over Mae Moh lignite power plant

CHIANG MAI: -- The Chiang Mai Administrative Court Wednesday ordered the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to pay compensations to villagers affected by air pollution caused by its lignite power plant in Lampang's Mae Moh district.

The Egat was ordered to pay each family Bt246,000 plus interest and pay for the relocation of the families.

Egat was ordered by the court to find a new farm land for each family at least 5 kilometres away from the plant.

The families have been fighting against Egat in the court for over five years before the justice was done.

-- The Nation 2009-03-04

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[Mapguy]

How about the rest of us who are downwind?!

[Ricardo]

Hope that the villagers do finally get the cash, they've certainly suffered for it, pity EGAT didn't put proper filters on the emissions, in the first place.

[Mapguy]

How about the rest of us who are downwind?!

Photo from The Bangkok Post. It's a gasser!

EGAT_PIX.pdf

[Ajarn]

How about the rest of us who are downwind?!

We are upwind, I'd say. Good news after a long struggle.

New lignite mine going on in Wieng Hang. It is said to be the reason for the major road construction going on between Chiang Dao and Chiang Mai, allowing all their trailer trucks to haul Lignite to Lampang... Not sure of truth, but I keep hearing the same story from people who would know...

[Mapguy]

From The Bangkok Post:

Mae Mo battle ends in win for villagers

Court tells Egat to pay damages for pollution

By: SUBIN KHEUNKAEW AND YUTHANA PRAIWAN

Published: 5/03/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: News

The long-running Mae Mo power plant battle has ended in victory for 477 Lampang villagers after the Administrative Court ordered the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to pay them compensation.

The Chiang Mai court's order offers the villagers differing amounts depending on the severity of the pollution they were exposed to from the coal-fired plant.

The villagers have complained about sulphur dioxide emissions from the Egat plant in the Lampang district for years.

The court yesterday said many were eligible for 246,900 baht based on the "physical and metal deterioration" of the villagers.

Toxic emissions from the plant have polluted nearby villages since 1992.

Many residents have suffered respiratory problems and at least 20 people have died.

Villagers accused Egat, a state enterprise under the Energy Ministry, of ignoring their complaints.

Their legal battle has been going on for five years. In their petition lodged with the Administrative Court, the villagers demanded 1.08 billion baht in damages and the closure of the plant.

The head of Egat's legal team, Yongchai Inlertfa, yesterday said Egat had 30 days to lodge an appeal against yesterday's ruling and would look at the verdict before making a decision.

Wirat Kanjanapibul, Egat deputy governor for environment and social affairs, said in a press statement the amount of sulphur dioxide released from the power plant had never exceeded the limit.

Judge Pornchai Manassiripen ordered Egat to relocate the villagers to safer areas and work on reforestation to restore the environment.

The agency is relocating about 1,000 villagers to Ban Huay Rak Mai in tambon Sop Prap in Mae Mo district. The relocation, which began last year, will cost Egat at least 500 million baht.

It has also outlaid a large amount of money on improving the power plant's image, including installing devices to trap sulphur dioxide and the establishment of a community development fund.

Egat deputy governor Virach Karnjanapiboon said the state enterprise respected the verdict and would consult prosecutors on how to proceed. He said Egat was serious about conserving the environment.

Mr Virach said Egat fully acknowledged the pollution problems and was trying to tackle them by cutting power output, switching fuel from lignite to diesel oil and initiating a massive outlay to instal desulphurisation units in the power generators.

Since the desulphurisation units became operational in 1997, air quality around the plant had improved, he said.

[NancyL]

Let's hope these same farmers aren't contributing to the air quality problems here by burning debris in their fields.