Flood-hit Nonthaburi residents petitioned the Administrative Court yesterday to revoke the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's power in managing flood in areas connected to other provinces.
The residents also asked the court to order the government to stop trying to rescue the submerged Highway 340 and Kanchanapisek Road for fear the work will prolong the flood misery of people living in Bang Bua Thong.
The petition was lodged with the court by Todsiri Poolnual, 50, of Bang Rak Pattana sub-district on behalf of flood-hit residents after they staged a raucous protest at Nonthaburi provincial hall on Tuesday over prolonged flooding in their communities.
She said the embankments set up by the government along Highway 340 and the BMA's refusal to open the sluice gates along Maha Sawat canal had badly affected flooded residents.
"We do not want to be discriminated against," said Ms Todsiri. "Bangkok residents have started cleaning their homes, but we still have no idea when we can return to our flooded homes.
"The Nonthaburi provincial authority must do more than just deliver us relief items. It needs to come up with a convincing water management plan."
Since Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra was not eager to respond to the Nonthaburi residents' request to open the sluice gates to one metre, they were forced to seek the help from the court, she said.
"We will agree with any means to get the water drained out of our area. It can be the proposal discussed on Tuesday to divide the flooded area into smaller blocks so the water can be drained sooner. We need communications. We need a goal. We need to have a target in two weeks or so," she said.
Sermsak Charumanus, a commercial bank employee and resident of Tharinphorn Villa on Chalermprakiat Road, said he supported the fight through judicial means.
"It's better than demolishing sand bag walls. This is a peaceful and justified fight for our rights," he said.
MR Sukhumbhand announced yesterday evening that City Hall had agreed to open all sluice gates along the Maha Sawat canal by one metre.
The Bangkok governor said the BMA was aware of the plight of Nonthaburi residents, but the authority wanted to reserve its right to adjust the opening of all the sluice gates according to the situation.
The BMA has asked the Royal Irrigation Department to speed up water drainage through sluice gates along the canals in the western side of the Chao Phraya River.
MR Sukhumbhand said he had asked the Froc and the irrigation department to open the Khlong Chimphlee sluice gate to allow water to flow into Bangkok Noi canal and to open the Nakhon Chaisi sluice gate to allow water to flow into other canals in the western side of the Chao Phraya River.
Opening the two sluice gates would help ease flooding in Nonthaburi, and at the same time lower the risk of flooding in Bangkok's western districts, said the governor.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday the BMA and Froc should discuss a drainage strategy again after floodwaters have been drained out of several Bangkok districts.
She added that while Bangkok needed to prevent flooding in the capital, the Froc needs to handle flood problems all over the country.
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