The Mekong River Commission (MRC) has established a webpage to collect public opinion on the 11 hydropower schemes currently proposed for construction along the main Mekong River.

The move came after many had raised concerns that the projects will damage the region’s natural habitat and change the river’s currents.

In a press release on July 13, the MRC said that the webpage is designed to ensure that Mekong countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, understand the full range of opportunities as well as the risks of developing hydropower dams and guide their decisions on these projects.

The submissions can be made at http://www.mrcmekong.org/ ish/hydro-submit.asp or by post or fax.

The MRC was founded in April 1995 after the signing of the Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin by the four member countries. China and Myanmar , where the river originates, are dialogue partners of the MRC./.