Nantou Plans Waste Incinerator, Public Protests with Joss Paper, Meeting Erupts in Clashes

(Central News Agency reporter Xiao Boyang, Nantou, April 15) The Nantou County Government today convened a second-stage environmental impact assessment scoping meeting for its waste treatment center. The Minjian Township Anti-Incinerator Self-Help Association, environmental groups from other counties, and local residents attended to express their opposition. The meeting process became intense at one point, with residents throwing joss paper, jumping onto tables, and pushing with police maintaining order.

Nantou County does not have a waste incinerator and relies on assistance from other counties for waste disposal. The county government plans to build the Nantou County Waste Treatment and Renewable Energy Center in Xinmin Village, Minjian Township. Previous scoping meetings for the second-stage environmental impact assessment had resulted in conflicts. The county government held follow-up meetings yesterday and today, with the Minjian Township Anti-Incinerator Self-Help Association, environmental groups, and residents attending to express their opposition.

At the beginning of the meeting, environmental groups raised concerns about the meeting procedures and called out the attendees listed on the meeting notice. The groups believed that too few attendees were present and shouted "The meeting is invalid." During the meeting, residents threw joss paper, and the police quickly set up protective nets. Some attendees also jumped onto tables and at one point pushed with the police maintaining order. The process was chaotic, and everyone shouted "The meeting is invalid, change the chairman."

Environmental groups present stated that at the beginning of the meeting, their representatives called out each environmental assessment committee member, expert scholar, and administrative agency to check their attendance. The result was that only 3 environmental assessment committee members and 2 expert scholars, a total of 5 people, were present, with 8 committee members and scholars absent. The Nantou County Environmental Protection Bureau and the meeting chairman insisted on proceeding with the meeting, allowing the developing unit, the Environmental Protection Bureau, to continue its report and explanation amidst protests, continuously using administrative violence to bully the villagers, self-help association, and civil society organizations. (Editor: Lin Shuhui) 1150415

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