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Published on October 25, 2007

The National Environment Board has ordered all 138 Ban Ua Athorn housing projects to submit to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Meanwhile, the Pollution Control Department's health and environmental projects in Rayong's Map Ta Phut area will receive just Bt10 million from the Environmental Fund - instead of the proposed Bt75 million.

Acting Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Yuthavong, who presided over the final meeting of the current National Environment Board, said yesterday the board could not waive EIA submissions for the 138 Ban Ua Athorn housing projects.

The board ordered heads of the low-cost government housing projects to submit EIA reports to the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, he said.

"The board agreed that all projects, including those by the government must proceed as required by law so the 138 Ban Ua Athorn projects must comply with the law and submit EIA reports," he said.

For housing projects under construction, the National Housing Authority (NHA), besides making and submitting EIA reports in retrospect, must strictly comply with preventive measures, solutions and follow-through measures for environmental impacts, as per ministerial regulations, he said.

Yongyuth said the board also agreed that applications for a mining permit in a "Class 1" river basin area, it would consider not only the usual environmental impact but also any impact on bio-diversity, communities and cultures, when professionally assessed for the government.

The fee adjustment would be tabled at a Cabinet meeting soon, he said.

On the proposed Bt75 million for Pollution Control Department's health and environmental projects over a period of three years in Rayong's Map Ta Phut area, Yongyuth said just Bt10 million would be allocated from the Environ-mental Fund in fiscal 2008.

The Nation