Dept tries to soothe pollution fears over sunken sugar barge

Dept tries to soothe pollution fears over sunken sugar barge

Water quality in the Chao Phraya River section affected by massive amounts of sugar discharged from a sunken barge is expected to return to normal in three days, the Pollution Control Department says.

A sugar barge sank in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district of Ayutthaya on Tuesday, releasing about 2,300 tonnes of sugar into the river.
The sugar has been dissolving and polluting the water. However, PCD officials predicted that the water quality would return to normal by Sunday due to the large amount of water in the river and rainfall.
Water released from the Chao Phraya dam should help speed up dilution, said Worasart Apaipong, the PCD's deputy chief.
The latest check of dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the river section found the figure had risen from 0.1 microgramme per litre yesterday morning to 1.9 in the afternoon. The normal DO level is between 3-6 mg/l.
"The most worrying spot is in Bang Sai district where the river is narrow, slowing the water flow," he said. "But, from Bang Sai district, the water quality is fine with a DO level of 3 mg/l at a water pumping station in Pathum Thani."
Ayutthaya governor Witaya Piewpong yesterday encouraged villagers affected by the sugar barge accident to file criminal and civil lawsuits against the companies responsible: JNP Group, the ship owner; Alpha Marine, the company renting the boat; and sugar company Thai Rung Rueng Group.
Mr Witaya said he had declared the three districts of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Bang Pa-in and Bang Sai a disaster zone to facilitate clean-up operations and expedite financial aid to affected villagers.
Harol Mathong, a 57-year-old local villager, said he was very disappointed with the state agencies' sluggish clean-up efforts.
The slow progress in retrieving the barge has disrupted water transportation. Over 100 cargo boats have been forced to suspend operations in the past three days.
Chatree Yuprasert, deputy chairman of Ayutthaya Provincial Administrative Organisation, demanded the government remove the barge as quickly as possible.