Qingshui residents resist industrial park amid concerns for 70 hectares of farmland

In the era of Jason Hu (胡志強), Taichung Economic Development Bureau began plans for Qingshui Industrial Park (清水產業園區), a proposed 243 hectare development – equivalent to three times the size of Taichung Metropolitan Park – just 3.5 km from Gaomei Wetlands (高美濕地). The plan has ignited resistance from many local residents who believe that the money would be better spent on developing local farming and protecting the environment. On July 5th, Anti-Qingshui Industrial Zone Alliance raised the ‘Guard our Farmland, Save our Wetlands’ music concert. The alliance’s president, Hong Jian-sheng (洪建盛), said such incidents would not be confined to Qingshui and that he hoped the music concert would raise awareness for this important issue. 

After taking office, new Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) continued with the former plan to build an industrial zone in the north of Qingshui District. The first phase of the development covers 86.1 hectares of land, 84.3% of which is made up of farmland and orchards, covering 68 hectares. The development plan indicates that it will introduce two major businesses to the area - a metal products manufacturer and a machinery equipment manufacturer – providing an estimated 5,000 job opportunities and an influx of people.

Hong Jian-sheng indicated that the reason for Qingshui’s name (which literally means “clear water”) is the abundant supply of clean groundwater. Should this groundwater get contaminated, not only will water for the irrigation of agricultural land be a problem, the domestic water use of local residents will also be adversely impacted and at risk. With as much as 300 hectares of undeveloped land owned by around 12 industrial parks in Taichung, Hong Jian-sheng calls into question whether we want to give industrial parks more land to lie barren and unused, or to provide productive agricultural land for farming?
 
After intense public pressure, Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung publicly expressed in the media that he would listen to public opinion before deciding whether or not to continue with the development. However, the temporary cancelation of Taichung Economic Development Bureau’s Qingshui Industrial Park - Phase 1 Development Meeting, which was originally scheduled for the 16th of last month in Qingshui Activity Center, provoked harsh criticism from members of the Anti-Qingshui Industrial Zone Alliance, who berated the government as insincere.

In an attempt to clarify the situation, the city government came forward to say that the meeting had been canceled for fear that protesters would come to muddy the meeting’s focus; the government stressed that in the future it would cooperate and consult with the Department of Agriculture.

Qingshui residents resist industrial park amid concerns for 70 hectares of farmland

URL:https://www.peopo.org/news/281045

(以下是中文對照)

胡規林隨？憂70公頃農地消失 清水人反設工業區

照片

台中市經發局在胡志強時代規劃了清水產業園區，計劃在離高美濕地約3.5公里處開發面積約243公頃，相當於三個台中都會公園大的工業區，此舉引起部分居民反彈，要求政府發展工業不如發展農業和保護地方生態環境。5日，反清水工業區自救會在高美濕地舉辦一場「守良田，救溼地」音樂會，「反清水工業區自救會」會長洪建盛表示，這件事不會只發生在清水，希望藉由音樂會那更多人關注到這項議題。
 
台中市長林佳龍上任後延續前朝政策，計畫在清水北部建設的工業區，第一期範圍達81.6公頃，其中農田、果園就占84.3％，約68公頃。開發計畫書指出，主要將引進兩大產業金屬製品與機械設備製造業，估計將為清水帶來5000個就業機會和移居人口。但洪建盛表示，清水之所以名為清水，主要是地下水源充沛且乾淨，如地下水遭汙染，不但農地灌溉用水會出問題，當地用戶生活用水也將大受影響。「台中已有多達12處的工業園區，鄰近清水地區的工業區合計約300公頃未開發。」洪建盛質疑，到底我們要工業區養蚊子還是農地種田？
 
受到廣大民意壓力，台中市長林佳龍日前公開在媒體上表示，要在多傾聽民意再決定是否繼續開發，但上月（16日）經發局原本將在清水區活動中心召開「清水產業園區1期開發座談會」，卻臨時取消，讓反清水工業區自救會成員們痛批市府毫無誠意。對此市府則出面澄清說，擔心前來抗議的民眾會模糊焦點，因此才臨時取消座談，強調未來會再與農業局商量、配合。