PHNOM PENH—Authorities have uncovered illegal landfilling activities by a water production company attempting to reclaim parts of the Tonle Sap River in Kampong Chhnang province, prompting legal and environmental concerns.

On April 19, Hell Tony, Deputy Director General of the Tonle Sap Authority, led a joint inspection with technical experts and local officials. Their visit revealed that Anco Water Supply Co.,Ltd had illegally filled sections of the river in Village One and Chong Koh Village, located in Ksam commune, without obtaining the necessary permits.

“This is a crime as stipulated in the law,” the Tonle Sap Authority stated.

Officials confirmed that the unauthorized activity violated the Law on Water Resources Management, specifically Articles 12 and 36. Article 12 mandates that individuals or companies secure a license before extracting or altering natural water resources, including rivers, lakes, canals, and reservoirs.

Under Article 36, those who build hydraulic structures or extract water without a valid license face penalties ranging from 200,000 to 2 million riels ($50 to $500). Unauthorized water use in areas that require a permit can incur fines of 2 to 5 million riels ($500 to $1,250) or imprisonment for up to six months.

Environmental experts have warned that the illegal dumping could disrupt natural water flow and damage the Tonle Sap’s delicate ecosystem. A technical meeting is scheduled for next week, bringing together relevant ministries and agencies to devise a solution that balances the province’s clean water supply needs with environmental protection.

The Tonle Sap Authority emphasized that any resolution must ensure “the company can continue supplying clean water to residents in Kampong Chhnang province while protecting the environment and maintaining natural water flow.”

Chhort Bunthang, a social affairs expert at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, warned that such land reclamation is not an isolated issue.

“If law enforcement is ineffective due to corruption or exchanges of favors, then the law becomes meaningless. Nothing is above the law unless legal action isn’t enforced,” he said.

Bunthang added that the Kampong Chhnang case illustrates the urgent need for stricter enforcement and penalties to deter future violations.

“Authorities should take strong action or impose other punishments on those violators to serve as a warning,” he said.

He also pointed out that not all violators are landless or marginalized. “In the past, people living in disorganized environments or without land received government assistance. However, those who knowingly break the law—especially those with power—should be held accountable and punished accordingly.”

While legal awareness among the public has improved, Bunthang stressed that enforcement must extend to local authorities, who are sometimes negligent or complicit.

Regardless of the timeline, he said the company responsible for the illegal landfilling must be held accountable.

“The water company must be responsible for harming the Tonle Sap River through illegal landfilling by restoring the damaged areas and facing fines, setting an example to reduce future violations,” Bunthang said.
 

Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Chhuon Kongieng for Cambodianess.