Landfill: Bring on the lawsuits
The fire which ravaged the rubbish dump for a week has stopped. Legal action is about to begin ? and its not just the owners being sued.
The fire which ravaged the rubbish dump for a week has stopped. Legal action is about to begin ? and its not just the owners being sued.
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Soldiers prepare to fold up a hose on Sunday after they joined firefighters in quelling the fire at the rubbish dump in Muang district, Samut Prakan. SUTTIWIT CHAYUTHWORAKAN
Lawyers to take toxic waste dump case to court
Sutthiwit Chayutworakan
SAMUT PRAKAN - The fire which ravaged the rubbish dump for a week has stopped. And legal action is about to begin.
Members of the Lawyers Council of Thailand went to the 100-rai dump site at tambon Phraeksa in Muang district of this province on Sunday to offer legal advice to people affected by the blaze which began on March 16.
Officials declared the blaze quelled at 8pm on Saturday. Mongkol Khorrong, the Muang district deputy chief, said road access to the area had been re-opened and the smell of the fire was limited at the site.
About 15 water trucks are still in the area to prevent possible re-ignition of the blaze, the official said, adding that it would take about three days to ensure that the fire was completely put out.
The landfill fire at its peak last week. Changing winds spread the toxic smoke over a wide area. SITHIKORN WONGWUDTHIANUN
The blaze of toxic waste at the site caused more than 1,200 people to fall sick, according to the Public Health Ministry.
About 500 residents have signed to allow the council to pursue legal avenues on the issue.
Suwit Choey-ubon, a council member in charge of environmental issues, outlined the legal fight against those in charge of the site, saying the council will take the case to both the Administrative Court and the Civil Court.
The targets in the Administrative Court include the chief of the Tambon Phraeksa Administration Organisation, the Samut Prakan governor, the provincial industry office, the provincial natural resources and environment office and the Pollution Control Department.
The Administrative Court will be asked to order the site to be closed as a dumping ground and for the area to be immediately restored for public safety, Mr Suwit said.
The council planned to sue the site owner to financially compensate people affected by the fire, he added.
All legal moves are expected this week, he said.
Criminal charges are the responsibility of the Department of Special Investigation, Mr Suwit said.
Despite the fire being put out, health officials and volunteers continued to check the health conditions of people living around the site, firefighters, soldiers and security guards and handed out information on how to cope with smoke.
They will be monitoring health issues in the area for some time, Dr Narong Sahamethaphat, permanent secretary for public health, said on Sunday.
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