Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Laos accused of starting work on controversial Mekong dam

Loas has been accused of starting work on the controversial Mekong dam without formal approval.

A man braves the raging torrent in the Mekong River in Laos.
A man braves the raging torrent in the Mekong River in Laos. Photo: BBC

Environmentalists opposed to the construction on one of Asia's most important rivers have accused the authorities of going ahead with plans to build roads and remove villagers, the Independent reports.

Environmentalists claim the dam could lead to the extinction of endangered fish and adversely affect 60 million people.

"Local people say that work, particularly on road construction, began several months ago," Pianporn Deetes, a Bangkok-based activist with International Rivers, told the paper.

Laos is under pressure to delay construction of a the dam.

Officials from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have met in Vientiane to discuss the planned $3.8-billion (£2.3bn) Xayaburi hydropower project in northern Laos, which would have a capacity of 1,260 megawatts.

Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam raised worries about insufficient environmental studies into the dam's likely impact, according to a statement after the meeting, while Laos said there was no need for further consultation.

Vietnam in particular expressed "deep and serious concerns" about a lack of adequate assessments, calling for the deferment of planned hydropower projects on the mainstream Mekong for at least 10 years.

The four member states of the Mekong River Commission, an intergovernmental body, have an agreement to cooperate on the sustainable development of the waterway and have been in consultations over the Xayaburi project.

But the final decision on the dam rests with Laos, which seems determined to press ahead.

Laos state media has signalled that construction was expected to begin soon, saying the Laos government "has full rights" to decide whether to approve construction of the dam.

The wildlife organisation WWF has warned that the Mekong giant catfish, one of the world's biggest freshwater fish, could be driven to extinction if plans to build hydropower dams on the river go ahead.

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