ESIA Ongoing for New 72km Battambang-Siem Reap Road; 10 Major Decisions Made

• 9 February 2022
• Local News
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Plans to construct a new road connecting Siem Reap and Battambang have seen progression, as the inter-ministerial committee has officially begun the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the project.

Held on Tuesday 8 February and led by Secretary of State of the Ministry of Environment HE Sabo Ojano, the meeting has given 10 orders to construction firms as follows:

1. The committee gives the greenlight to the project, but it must be done precisely.

2. The firm must have a clear work plan and must cooperate with local authorities and local communities regarding the impact resettlements and compensation for damages.

3. The project owner must put up signs to inform the public of the construction to avoid accidents.

4. The project owner must take into account the health and safety of workers in the project.

5. The project owner must properly manage the waste soil and rocks. Canals surrounding the construction site must be built to prevent wastewater from leaking into public spaces. If possible, a filtration system should be installed to reuse the wastewater.

6. The project owner must carefully manage solid and liquid waste, air pollution, noise, and vibration according to the ministry guidelines.

7. The project owner must plant trees around the project area and cooperate with officers in restoring and preserving nearby forest.

8. Project owners must help maintain surrounding roads nearby the project and educate their workers to obey the law.

9. The project owner must spray water regularly at least 3 times/day to avoid dust.

10. The project owner and the consulting company shall revise the report based on the inter-ministerial meeting decision and include it in the full ESIA report.

Up completion, this new national road will pass through three provinces including Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap, and help shorten the travelling distance between the two provinces by up to 69 kilometres.

The project was studied at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen in early 2020. (Read more)

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