Among the important ideas is the so-called 'water bank' project - from which local businesses can "rent or borrow" water from abandoned craters full of rainwater. These craters are left by excavations at all construction sites or wherever new roads are built.

Local communities will manage these mini-reservoirs and make a profit by letting the water to local businesses. Local residents can buy water at low prices from these managed reservoirs through the "water bank" projects.

Surin said the now-abolished 1997 constitution stipulated that all environmental laws and regulations be put into practice, but little legislative efforts have been done to meet the mandate in the previous charter before it was nullified after the coup on September 19 last year.

The chairman said the panel would also study the controversial Community Forest Bill to settle a long-standing conflicts over villagers encroaching on reserved forest areas to reside permanently in them. The panel would leave all articles relating to budgetary allocation in the Bill to be scrutinised by a future elected House after the NLA's term expired.