Battambang: Residents of Battambang’s Kamrieng district have voiced their complaints about excavations at a treasured mountain. They say Phnom Kbal Kon Damrey mountain was a beautiful site three years ago, but excavators appear to have turned the foot of the mountain into a quarry. The district governor is investigating the claims.

Phnom Kbal Kon Damrey mountain used to be beautiful, residents say. It’s located near the Kbal Kon Damrey pagoda in O'Chrey village and used to be a tourist attraction, but three years ago, excavators arrived on the site. Villagers say that ever since, the air has become polluted, their homes are covered in dust, and their children have respiratory problems. They say things get even worse during the rainy season, with the risk of landslides. They say they never thought that the project would last for three years and that their beautiful mountain would become a mud-bath.

Villagers have now turned to the authorities for help. Kamrieng District Governor, Sok Kim Khon, has told EAC News that the excavation is actually a project of the Kamrieng Commune Authority to repair the road around the foot of the mountain. He has assured villagers that a team will be deployed to check the status of the excavation and its impact on their daily lives.