Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Dumping in river continues

Dumping in river continues

A man looks over a large pile of rubbish that has been dumped along the bank of the Bassac River in Phnom Penh’s Chbar Ampov district in Phnom Penh yesterday.
A man looks over a large pile of rubbish that has been dumped along the bank of the Bassac River in Phnom Penh’s Chbar Ampov district in Phnom Penh yesterday. Heng Chivoan

Dumping in river continues

Nearly a month after the Ministry of Environment asked Phnom Penh City Hall to stop villagers in Chbar Ampov district from disposing their trash in the Tonle Sap river, residents yesterday said no one had yet come to clean the area or end the practice.

Yors Run, who only moved into a house in Derm Sleng village three days ago, said he took the matter into his own hands yesterday by instructing a neighbour who owns a tractor to push the rubbish down toward the river because the smell was “very bad”.

Part of the riverside dump area, which had until then been covered with a 12-by-10-metre pile of steaming rubbish, was cleared, but the trash ended up instead spilling down directly into the river.

In the middle of the recently cleared area stood a sign bearing the names of the Interior Ministry and Environment Ministry. It informs illegal dumpers that leaving trash at the site would lead to a fine of up to $25 – if they are ever caught.

Residents said the sign was installed by the authorities a year ago but had collapsed. Run, the new resident and a former low-level military official, had changed that. “When the rubbish was cleared, I mended the sign so people won’t pour rubbish again,” he said.

Chhoun Srey Leak, a 22-year-old resident of Derm Sleng, said that no officials have yet come to inspect the site or to tell villagers to halt the practice of disposing trash into the river. Villagers were still using the river as a dumping site as of yesterday, she said, adding that residents feel neglected by the municipality because it had failed to provide the village with any trash collection services.

“They just don’t care about it because it has been there for so many years,” the resident said of the rotting trash. “It is a necessity that the Ministry of Environment take action, because we need the water . . . and when we throw the trash into the water it becomes very dirty and we cannot use it.”

Phnom Penh Waste Management Office official Noun Samnavuth declined to comment yesterday. Chheun Sothun, deputy chief of Phnom Penh’s environment department, claimed his officials had in fact worked with the city’s trash collection firm, Cintri, to remove garbage from the riverbank.

Yet Cintri manager Ith Chenda acknowledged no one had yet gone to clean up the site, and blamed a lack of proper roads and infrastructure in the Derm Sleng area. “We did not go to collect [the trash],” he said. “So the trash is where it used to be.”

Sothun said Cintri and the district authorities had only on Wednesday signed a new trash collection schedule for the city but that Cintri’s rubbish trucks will still not reach the beleaguered area. Instead, they will inform residents of nearby trash dumping sites, he said.

He added that the commune would send officials to educate people not to throw their trash into the river. Environment Minister Say Samal said that his ministry’s officials were still discussing the issue and working with city officials to find a long-term sustainable solution.

“I think it’s better to work together rather than to point the finger,” the minister added.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • PM urges end to ‘baseless’ international Ream base accusations

    Prime Minister Hun Sen urges an end to “baseless” foreign accusations surrounding the development of the Kingdom’s Ream Naval Base, as the US has consistently suggested that the base is being expanded to accommodate a Chinese military presence. Hun Sen renewed his calls while

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.