The Pursat provincial administration is preparing to improve a riverside park with lighting, fix main roads and drainage systems as well as a wastewater treatment facility to beautify the town in a bid to win a clean city competition.

Leang Titthan, director of the provincial information department, said on February 23 that provincial governor Cheav Tay had overseen the works for more than four months.

The purpose of beautifying the town is to attract domestic and international tourists and especially to win the clean city competition from 2022-2024 with a rating of three Pkhar Romduol – the national flower known by its botanical name Sphaerocoryne affinis – because Pursat has only won two-Pkhar Romduol rating in the past, he said.

He added that in order to improve the town, the provincial administration has also set up a landfill site, fixed the drainage systems and wastewater treatment facility and improved the erection of billboards in a new and orderly manner.

“This is to help promote our clean city as we always strive for all of our institutions to do their best so that our province can get the three-Phkar Romduol award because so far we have only had two-Phkar Romduol and hopefully this year because we have made a lot of changes we can get all three Phkar Romduol,” he said.

He continued that governor Tay was focused on the installation of street LED lighting. The provincial administration has already installed lighting on Streets 101 and 102 and is continuing to install street lighting across the town.

As instructed by Tay, the administration has not only installed the lights in the town but also in the other districts.

Sim Ratanak, a resident of Pursat town, said on February 23 that he supported the effort of the provincial authorities to improve the area. The installation of lighting was useful for night businesses and makes it easier for people to travel safely.

“Some of them work and make a living at night. If there are lights, then it is easier. Otherwise, it is difficult because they have to use their own generators and buy gasoline. And now that the price of gasoline has gone up, it would cost a lot. But if they install the lighting, it will be cheaper for everybody because state electricity is less expensive than gas,” he said.