PHNOM PENH — Villagers from fishing
communities along the Mekong River on Thursday urged the Cambodian
government to negotiate with Laos over postponing a dam project slated
to begin later this year.
Conservationists say the Don Sahong Dam could damage downstream
fisheries and harm the well-being of the rare Mekong dolphin, a source
of eco-tourism revenue for some Cambodian villages along the river.
“I would like to urge the Laotian government to consult in advance with
countries downstream about trans-boundary impacts of this project, and I
call on the Cambodian government to push the discussion at the upcoming
meeting with Laos,” Pory Vanna, a representative from Koh Pdao, a
dolphin eco-tourism site in Steung Treng province, told reporters
Thursday.
The proposed dam project is planned for later this year, despite
challenges from environmentalists and Cambodian and Vietnamese
governments. The dam will be located at Khon Falls, a crucial habitat
for fish and the Mekong River dolphin during the dry season, just 1
kilometer upstream from Cambodia.
Even construction of the dam could hurt the dolphins, who depend on
echolocation and sound, rather than sight, said Gerry Ryan, a technical
consultant with the World Wildlife Fund.
“Dolphins have very sensitive hearing, and the loud noises produced by
explosions can damage their hearing system and potentially kill them,”
he said.
Resource:http://www.voacambodia.com