More than 500 Chaiyaphum villagers yesterday petitioned the Administrative Court to put the brakes on a new coal-fired power plant project after discovering alleged irregularities surrounding its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
Even if the firm plans to change the fuel to biomass, which has a less negative image, "we still don't want it", said Wan Phapkhunthot, a resident from Chaiyaphum's Bamnet Narong district.
"It too will have some [negative] impact," he said.
The 74-year-old was among the protesters from the district who gathered at the Administrative Court in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday. They were desperate for help after their previous complaints with state agencies fell on deaf ears.
The operator, Asean Potash Chaiyaphum Plc, which has been granted permission to mine potash in Bamnet Narong district, wants to build a power plant to support its mining process, but the steps it is taking to gain approval, despite villagers' worries over the environmental impact, are being met with much protest.
Bamnet Narong said residents questioned the firm's commitment to public hearings. One that was held earlier on July 24 to gauge villagers' opinions on the fuel change has led to dissatisfaction because many villagers were barred from attending the event, the protesters claim.
The firm proposes changing coal to palm shells, a type of biomass considered a source of renewable energy. But with this incomplete public hearing, the villagers also asked the court to revoke the July 24 report the company is using to seek state approval, said villager Mung Meechamnan.
The protesters said they have lost trust in the company. They also claim the potash mining project lacked the proper public hearings, which led to an incomplete EIA report.
Villagers also accused the company of "bypassing" steps required to obtain state approval for using a public water source. This caused them to petition the court to revoke the licence for the water usage.
"Now no one wants coal or biomass," Mr Mung said.
He said more than 2,000 households in Bamnet Narong district will bear a heavy brunt if the power plant project is given the green light.
Mr Wan yesterday suggested the company build the plant elsewhere to avoid causing more serious conflicts with local residents, who want to live in clean environment.
