Investigation into wastewater treatment pond after five deaths in Thailand.
BANGKOK, Thailand – Local authorities have launched an investigation into why visitors were allowed near an open wastewater treatment pond at Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) premises in Bang Na district, Thailand.
The Bangkok Post reported that five people died on Friday, forcing authorities to temporarily shut down the poultry-processing plant.
Mongko Pruekwatanna, director general of the Industrial Works Department, told the press: “In principle, the pond should be covered at all times, but when officials reached it, the lid was at the bottom of the pond.” The incident was reported to have happened when students were given a tour of the plant through a “personal connection”, although the official showing them around had only worked there for six months.
Meanwhile broadcaster Thai PBS reported that the Department of Industrial Work (DIW) ordered CPF to cease its wastewater treatment system for 30 days “until it as improved its system to have more safe an efficiency”.
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Oshikoto SORA: Millions reserved to fast-track development.
The projects aimed mainly at the provision of electricity and construction of sewer, water reticulation and retention ponds, and gravel roads.
An additional N$493,474 was spent through the governor’s office that disbursed funds to 16 entrepreneurs, and N$317,308 from the regional council that was spread across five constituencies through the Rural Employment Scheme, while N$539,423 was allocated for the implementation of the Micro Finance Programme.
This funds were then allocated equally to eight constituencies, with each constituency receiving N$67,427.
“I can proudly state here with confidence that the region made a significant impact in terms of critical areas of focus.
“This allocation was made towards the implementation of projects that address the shortage of potable water in various rural areas.
The governor acknowledged the efforts being made by Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb in maintaining and sticking to its core value of community investment through strengthening the social and economic fabric of Tsumeb, and the region at large.
For the 2016/17 financial year, Dundee spent over N$6.2 million in community-related projects.
“The ministerial budgetary suspension for the 2016/2017 financial year affected the implementation of planned regional activities, as well as late transfer of funds by head office and the Ministry of Finance.
Therefore, the ministry needs to improve communication channels (proper and timely consultations) on budget suspensions and improve the government’s cash flow position in order for funds to be transferred on request and timeously,” he concluded.

In Chauk Township, Magwe Division, all but one farmer DVB spoke to in April were unaware of the country’s unenviable podium finish on climate change vulnerability, but each individual confirmed that rising temperatures and changing weather patterns had acutely changed the nature of their livelihoods.
Once predictable rainfall patterns are a thing of the past for farmers in the region.
“The monsoon rain has reduced by as much as 30 percent during the last 30 years, therefore the water availability from the rain has reduced.
Often, these rains must sustain farming communities for the rest of the season.
So you have more rain in less days of rain,” Capizzi said.
“When I went to those villages, I found out that the people there are really short.
When I asked them why they are so short and why their skin is so dark, they confessed that their village was experiencing water shortages and that they had to travel three or four miles to get water and then carry them back to home,” Kyaw Thu added.
Government representatives warned attendees at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris that the country’s greenhouse gas emissions would increase in line with industry and infrastructure development.
The DMH data recorded an increase in annual mean temperatures almost nationwide, with particular spikes in major central cities Mandalay, Sagaing and Magwe.
Youth exodus Most farmers in the Dry Zone can trace their lineage on the arid land for generations.

Cholera cases in Yemen top 200,000 in world’s worst outbreak.
The number of cholera cases in Yemen has reached more than 200,000 and is increasing at the rate of 5,000 new cases a day, according to UN agencies.
In a joint statement released late last week, UNICEF and the World Health Organization said that 1,300 people have already died in what is the world’s worst cholera outbreak and a quarter of them have been children.
"We are working around the clock to detect and track the spread of disease and to reach people with clean water, adequate sanitation and medical treatment," they said.
"Collapsing health, water and sanitation systems have cut off 14.5 million people from regular access to clean water and sanitation, increasing the ability of the disease to spread," they said.
"Rising rates of malnutrition have weakened children’s health and made them more vulnerable to disease.
An estimated 30,000 dedicated local health workers who play the largest role in ending this outbreak have not been paid their salaries for nearly 10 months."
The organisations urged authorities in the country to pay the salaries of the workers and, "above all", to end the conflict between government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and the rebel Houthi movement which now control large parts of the country.
“We urge all authorities inside the country to pay these salaries and, above all, we call on all parties to end this devastating conflict.” It’s estimated that as many as 18.8 million people, of Yemen’s population of 28 million, need humanitarian assistance.
Almost 5,000 people have been killed in the war since March, 2015, with a further 8,500 injured, according to the UN.

Bridging shortfall: Energy sector should get priority in resource allocation.
The investment in the power sector in the shape of foreign direct investment (FDI), private participation investment and projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) along with the budget allocated for water and power does not bring any significant change in the energy shortfall facing the country.
According to the Ministry of Water and Power, the circular debt has risen back to Rs401 billion.
The BISP was launched in October 2008 to help the poorest families to cushion the negative effects of rising prices of food and fuel.
Similarly, cash transfers were increased to Rs115 billion in FY17 from Rs102 billion in FY16 and target beneficiaries rose to 5.42 million till March 2017 from 5.29 million in FY16.
Pakistan has an acute energy shortfall and there is a need to invest more in this sector to bridge the gap.
Pakistan should focus on power generation and allocate more resources for these projects.
The government needs to re-think the priorities.
If the government increases funding for the energy sector, then in the long run spending on other programmes will come down as people will be self-sustaining and their productivity will increase.
The government is under-utilising the allocation for the energy sector, which can be called inefficiency.

As big tourism weekend approaches, Mt.
Shasta says it’s not safe to drink the water.
E. coli, the infamous bacteria that causes diarrhea and stomach cramps, were found in the drinking water supply of a city nestled in the foothills of Mount Shasta, officials announced Sunday.
The city of Mt.
Staff took four follow-up samples at various sites, including at the spring source of the water system.
No obvious source of E. coli was observed.” City officials said they would notify residents when water tests come back clean, but the drinking water system has been chlorinated as a precaution.
On the morning of the Fourth, Mt.
Bryan said in an email anyone coming in to town should drink bottled water or boil the water before drinking it.
Shasta News.com, people stream into Mount Shasta City Park to collect water from Big Springs, a spring designated as the headwaters of the Sacramento River.
The water flowing out the headwaters comes from the snow-covered peaks of Mount Shasta, the park’s website says.

Last week when she was Miss Vicksburg, Anne Elizabeth Buys took out the evening gown and swimsuit her mother wore when she was fourth runner-up in the Miss Mississippi Pageant years ago.
"We know it’s family first and football second.
And Buys was a Miss Mississippi Magnolia princess during the time that Miss Mississippi 2009 Anna Beth Tadlock won her crown.
Buys’ platform is Water For Life, which helps raise money for clean water wells for areas that don’t have access to clean water.
"I was around 13 years old when I saw the faces of these children that had just seen clean water for the first time," she said.
"Just last month Vicksburg was without water for three days.
More than anything else, Buys credits her faith for keeping her grounded during the work that goes into preparing for a pageant that has been your dream for years.
Then came two years of competing in the Miss Mississippi pageant.
I’ve truly seen him work through the timing purposes in my involvement in the pageant," she said.
Last year, in my head I was ready to be Miss Mississippi, but he wasn’t ready for me to be Miss Mississippi.

Last week when she was Miss Vicksburg, Anne Elizabeth Buys took out the evening gown and swimsuit her mother wore when she was fourth runner-up in the Miss Mississippi Pageant years ago.
"We know it’s family first and football second.
And Buys was a Miss Mississippi Magnolia princess during the time that Miss Mississippi 2009 Anna Beth Tadlock won her crown.
Buys’ platform is Water For Life, which helps raise money for clean water wells for areas that don’t have access to clean water.
"I was around 13 years old when I saw the faces of these children that had just seen clean water for the first time," she said.
"Just last month Vicksburg was without water for three days.
More than anything else, Buys credits her faith for keeping her grounded during the work that goes into preparing for a pageant that has been your dream for years.
Then came two years of competing in the Miss Mississippi pageant.
I’ve truly seen him work through the timing purposes in my involvement in the pageant," she said.
Last year, in my head I was ready to be Miss Mississippi, but he wasn’t ready for me to be Miss Mississippi.

Banga Roriki is working with his nephew, Robin, who has been living in this house, on Majuro, one of the Marshall Islands, for 22 years.
CHIP FLETCHER: Sea level is rising in certain parts of the pacific faster than anywhere else in the world.
MIKE TAIBBI: What’s the biggest threat now to the Marshall Islands?
the family relies on rainwater catchment tanks for water — but those remain practically empty because of a relentless drought.
Getting fresh water has always been a preoccupation for the Marshall Islands.
The freshwater wells and underground aquifers are at risk of being fouled by salt water from frequent flooding some wells already spoiled because of high tides driven by rising sea level.
On Majuro, home to 27,000 residents, severe weather events put enormous pressure on the main water source — seven reservoirs that store rainwater collected from the airport’s runway.
MIKE TAIBBI: But deBrum says he’s confident coming improvements will one day provide all residents 24/7 water access, even during droughts.
MIKE TAIBBI: Do you use it to drink, or just cook with it?
Ferries throughout the day from Kwaj bring jugs of good, free and safe water from the base’s own state of the art desalination plant.

Impact Journalism Day (June 24th, 2017) focuses on solutions-based journalism.
Fifty leading media organisations, including The Irish Times, are sharing stories of innovative solutions to social issues around the world, in an initiative developed by Sparknews.
The Safe Water Cube, created by French engineer Jean-Paul Augereau, is a water purification system.
Some 20 of these boxes have already been installed in Morocco, India and Haiti.
The 1.2m cubed stainless steel container has five filters including sand and carbon.
According to its creator, it makes all surface water, even muddy water, drinkable.
It also destroys “all the viruses and bacteria responsible for diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera and hepatitis, without destroying the minerals in the water”, purifying up to 1,000 litres per hour without electricity.
The fountain costs €3,500 and is sold primarily to humanitarian organisations and local authorities.
Every day, about 3,000 children die from diseases linked to contaminated water.
This article was written for the French newspaper L’Actu