By Stephen Thien

MIRI: The authorities must conduct a fresh round of environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies inside the 60,000 ha zone affected by the Bakun hydroelectric dam project before resuming work.

The Borneo Resources Institute said the project was shelved more than three years ago and during that period, extensive logging, land clearing and relocation of villagers had been carried out.

"This has rendered the original EIA outdated and not applicable to current situations," institute co-ordinator Raymond Abin said in an interview yesterday.

The institute, a Miri-based environmental watchdog group with extensive networking in South-East Asia, said a full scale EIA survey must be conducted to determine the present condition of the land and the biodiversity, and the people living in Bakun.

"A new EIA report must be done for the Government and public before reconstruction of the dam can be allowed to start."

"There are now serious threats of erosion in the whole area and new threats to great diversities of plants and animals aside from the obvious impact on the lives of the affected folks," he said.

The institute which has several branches in the state was set up in 1993 to monitor development projects affecting the communities and the environment.

Abin said the soil conditions, river systems, flora and fauna, and social way of life in Bakun had deteriorated since the project was shelved.

"We will soon set up a unit to monitor the Bakun project from close-range. We will come up with a strategy to scrutinise the construction works and establish a network to protect the rights of the affected people."

The original EIA for the project was released to the public in February 1995.

Based on that report, the project will flood 69,640 ha of land.

The area is now home to more than 800 species of plants, including 67 protected species, and more than 300 species of fishes, mammals and birds of which 43 are rare and totally protected.

The project was shelved in 1997 due to the economic downturn.

Last month, the Government decided to revive its construction.