Control Yuan members are to visit and inspect the Daan Wetland Park near Miaoli County’s Jhuolan Township (卓蘭) amid accusations that its development has damaged the habitat of local leopard cats.
The county government applied for NT$80 million (US$2.6 million) from the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program to construct a wetland park at the convergence of the Daan (大安溪) and Laojhuang (老庄溪) rivers.
However, conservationists said that the development has damaged the natural habitat of local leopard cat populations.
The Jhuolan Township Office said that prior to construction it had asked whether there were issues with conservation, wild animals or natural habitats for protected animals, but agencies had said there were none.
The Control Yuan members are to be accompanied by Miaoli County Commissioner Hsu Yao-chang (徐耀昌) and spend the morning being briefed on the county government’s plans as well as petitions from local residents, the Miaoli County Government said.
Following another briefing in the afternoon on leopard cat and ecological conservation along Daan River, the Control Yuan members are to inspect the park, the county government said.
The township office said the park has been completed and it plans to plant 10.5 hectares of tree saplings around it by June.
The township office said some suggestions tendered by conservationists could not be accepted due to a lack of funding and limitations imposed by the Government Procurement Act (政府採購法).
However, it would try to disturb the local ecology as little as possible, the office said.
The office also called on authorities to clearly define leopard cat activity areas to prevent civil servants from being castigated after completing construction projects in full accordance with the law.
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