Battambang Administration Denies River Land Wrongdoing
he Battambang Provincial Administration has denied an accusation that it let private construction intrude into the Sangke riverbank. Photo: Mother Nature Cambodia
- By Lay Sopheavotey
- June 23, 2023 12:38 PM
PHNOM PENH – The Battambang Provincial Administration has denied an accusation that it let private construction intrude into the Sangke riverbank.
The denial came after Mother Nature Cambodia posted pictures of the construction on June 19, saying the authority let it happen because the project owner is rich and powerful.
The matter brought criticism and requests to the administration to review the project in the Bao Pou village in Sangke district.
The administration said the allegation was politically motivated to attack the authority before next month’s elections.
“The landowner, namely Chav Madoneth, has constructed the building on their own land without intruding on the Sangkae riverbank and has built a concrete riverbank along the old patterns without violating the riverbank like the accusation stated,” the administration said.
The owner will also help build a 1,000-meter concrete slope to prevent the riverbank from collapsing, the administration added.
Soil must also be filled in to prevent the riverbank from collapsing. After construction, soil will be excavated so that there will be no obstruction to the water flow.
The provincial administration said that the 200-meter concrete road in O' Dambang I commune has been completed. And the owner built a concrete wall of 1000 meters to prevent the riverbank from collapsing.
“The embankment activity did not affect the flow of the Sangke river but also strongly prevented the collapse of the riverbank,” it said.
Heng Kimhong, head of research and advocacy at the Cambodia Youth Network, said this building had invaded some part of the riverbank, which was public property.
Based on Cambodia’s land law, no one has the right to own any lake, river, or sea land because these serve the public benefit.
Kimhong said the Battambang administration should clarify the issues and invite the parties to discuss them to avoid any confusion.
“The Battambang administration should show the land titles, history of land ownership, and other related documents,” he said.
The national government should investigate immediately to prevent this usurpation of public or state property from occurring again and again.
Kimhong said to stop criminals from taking public property, the government should issue a serious order to sub-national administrations to apply the law to protect public property. Sub-national administrations should take immediate action if the usurpation of public or state property occurs.
If sub-national administrative officials find it hard to take action or reach the limit of their power, they should report to the national government, and the national government should make sure to take action to stop the usurpation of state property and public property.
He added that the national government should also investigate the officials associated with the usurping. They should be punished if they commit a crime.
According to the sub-decree on river basin management, Article Eight states that land up to 30 meters from the riverbank is considered state property.
