The Losheng controversy continues
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| The metro terminal construction will continue. |
2007/07/06
The authorities in Taiwan will go ahead with the plan for a metro terminal on the site of a leprosy sanatorium despite protests from its residents.
In a meeting held by the Public Construction Commission (PCC) on Monday, many construction experts voiced their worries about the geologic and hydrogeological problems.
As the engineering work will be carried out around the premises of the buildings where the residents of Losheng Leprosy Sanatorium live, the PCC considers a pre-evaluation of the construction plan necessary.
Some experts are concerned that the fault under the ground of the construction site and its high water pressure will threaten both the residents and the historic buildings in the compound.
Although the Department of Rapid Transit System (DORTS) claimed that have adopted relevant safety measures, the PCC suggested that the experts’ advice should be taken into consideration.
The DORTS has decided to move out the residents around September and start construction, which has been delayed for three years by staged protests for Losheng.
The Losheng management said they have made alternative accommodation arrangements for the residents.
They state: “The residents were commanded to live in Losheng by authority. The new facility built to provide housing and medical care ensures them the physical, mental, and human rights protection.
“It won’t cause any major damage or impending danger to resident so it’s hard to say if the residents have the right to boycott the authority’s decision.”
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