Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Duong Sruoch Group denies clearing in wildlife sanctuary

Duong Sruoch Group denies clearing in wildlife sanctuary

The Duong Sruoch Group has been linked to accusations of illegal logging near the Sre Pok Wildlife Sanctuary (pictured). Photo supplied
The Duong Sruoch Group has been linked to accusations of illegal logging near the Sre Pok Wildlife Sanctuary (pictured). Photo supplied

Duong Sruoch Group denies clearing in wildlife sanctuary

A representative with Duong Sruoch Group in Preah Vihear yesterday denied allegations that that the company had been illegally clearing forest outside the boundaries of social land concessions it had been licensed to log.

Duong Sruoch Group was specifically named in a directive issued Monday by the Council of Ministers to revoke all licences that had been granted to private companies to log and collect timber from social land concessions and state-owned land. The measure followed a request from the Ministry of Environment earlier this month.

Company representative Ly Putheara claimed that General Director Duong Sruoch can still make a request to continue work inside a 1,545-hectare social land concession in Choam Ksan district’s Ramdoh Sre commune, despite an official from the Forestry Administration on Tuesday saying the Ministry of Agriculture had cancelled the company’s licence last month.

In late January, Choam Ksan District Governor Chea Kim Seng said the company had been subcontracted to clear the concession and to build a road, but instead had only stripped the area of timber.

Keo Omalis, deputy director for the Forestry Administration couldn’t be reached for comment.

“My company has some timber remaining, so we can make a request to collect the remaining wood inside our SLC,” Putheara claimed.

The Ministry of Agriculture cancelled the company’s permit to collect timber on January 11. Two weeks later, six Forestry Administration officials visited Putheara and asked him to sign a contract saying he wouldn’t violate the order, or would face punishment under the Forestry Law, according to a copy of the contract.

MOST VIEWED

  • Wing Bank opens new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004

    Wing Bank celebrates first anniversary as commercial bank with launch of brand-new branch. One year since officially launching with a commercial banking licence, Wing Bank on March 14 launched a new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004. The launch was presided over by

  • Girl from Stung Meanchey dump now college grad living in Australia

    After finishing her foundational studies at Trinity College and earning a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Melbourne in 2022, Ron Sophy, a girl who once lived at the Stung Meanchey garbage dump and scavenged for things to sell, is now working at a private

  • Ministry using ChatGPT AI to ‘ease workload’; Khmer version planned

    The Digital Government Committee is planning to make a Khmer language version of popular artificial intelligence (AI) technology ChatGPT available to the public in the near future, following extensive testing. On March 9, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications revealed that it has been using the

  • Wat Phnom hornbills attract tourists, locals

    Thanks to the arrival of a friendly flock of great hornbills, Hour Rithy, a former aviculturist – or raiser of birds – in Kratie province turned Phnom Penh tuk tuk driver, has seen a partial return to his former profession. He has become something of a guide

  • 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