The Yilan County Government on Monday defended a plan to open the Cingshuei Geothermal Park (清水地熱公園) to private development after a local councilor said it would contravene laws protecting indigenous land.
Yilan County has been laying the groundwork to allow a private enterprise to manage the hot springs in Datong Township (大同).
Should the plan go forward, the venture awarded with the contract would obtain the right to manage and operate the springs for 10 years, a lucrative opportunity already being eyed by a number of companies, sources said.
Photo courtesy of the Yilan County Government
The plan was opposed by many of the township’s predominantly indigenous residents, who made their displeasure known at a town hall meeting on May 17.
Datong Township Mayor He Sheng-li (何勝立) told the meeting that he was against the plan and that the springs should be administered by the township to benefit local residents.
As the park falls within traditional Atayal territory, Atayal residents of Nioudou Village (牛鬥) have a right to withhold consent to the plan, Yilan County Councilor Chen Chieh-lin (陳傑麟) said, citing the Indigenous Peoples Basic Act (原住民族基本法).
The residents should have been consulted as an interested party that has the right to veto the development, Chen told Formosa TV.
In response, the Yilan County Government said the Council of Indigenous Peoples had previously determined that the Indigenous Peoples Basic Act does not apply to the springs and that another town hall meeting would be held for the public to express their opinion on the matter.
Since the bid is a work in progress, it would be too early to suggest when the contract would be open to tender, the county said.
A four-phase plan to renovate the park’s environs with a budget of NT$160 million (US$5.35 million) is being implemented, the county said.
Based on current plans, the shops and spring baths on campus are to be contracted out, it said.
The park has been the county’s leading tourist attraction this year, despite being closed for four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.
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