Authorities in the southern province of Long An have officially proposed that a highway management board supports local farmers with VND1.8 billion (US$92,331) in compensation for their crop failure.

 

Lieu Trung Nguon, vice director of the provincial Department of Agriculture, said in a statement Thursday that 63 hectares of rice planted along the Ho Chi Minh City – Trung Luong Highway  had failed to blossom because of the highway’s high-voltage street lights.

 

Around 170 farmers were affected, Nguon said.

 

Last month local authorities, officials and farmers had a meeting with the management board, asking for compensation after several scientists informed the media that the rice couldn’t blossom a month earlier as expected, because they were exposed to high-voltage light from the street.

 

However, the management board refused any liability, saying that the effect of street lights on rice was out of their expertise, and that they would report the issue to the Ministry of Transport for further action.