Former prime minister Anand Panyarachun, chairman of the four-party panel working out the legal deadlocks in the Map Ta Phut crisis, voiced his opposition yesterday to an attempt by the Council of State to disapprove certain conditions in the planned establishment of an independent committee to solve the problems in the long term.
The panel is concerned the Council of State, which is now scrutinising draft regulations to set up the 13-panel independent committee, may propose amendments to major conditions in the processes related to environmental-impact and health-impact assessments.
A member of the panel representing affected villagers, Harnnarong Yaowalert, said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had assured him the regulations in the panel's version would be submitted to Parliament along with the Council of State's version during coming parliamentary scrutiny.
The panel held a 90-minute meeting with Abhisit yesterday to discuss the issue and other concerns raised by panel members. One of the major concerns is whether types of industries considered detrimental to health and the environment should be designated officially or considered on a case-by-case basis.
Anand later commented that designations of types of industries would have to be based on technological matters, while being flexible enough to meet ever-changing trends. He said the conditions over types of industries should be settled within two or three months.
At the meeting, Abhisit reportedly promised to discuss the concerns of panel members over the Council of State's proposed changes in major conditions. He also agreed to talk with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry over a conflict with the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) concerning the public-referendum process.
A ministry panel has published a list of 19 types of industries considered detrimental to health and the environment and has begun the process of holding a public referendum over the issue. The ONEP disagrees with the panel making public the details in advance.
However, after a meeting chaired by Abhisit, the ONEP changed its stance and now says it may take part in the public referendums.
