Many families living along street 30 in Meanchey district, Phnom Penh are annoyed by the sound and dust from many trucks traveling along the street every day. A spot check by Khmer Times yesterday showed the road was very busy with massive traffic jams due to the street being under construction and many vehicles plying the route, Sok Si Im, 49, the owner of Malin Laundry along Street 30, known as Samdech Hun Neang Street, yesterday said that the heavy trucks carrying sand were damaging and destroying the road. “The dust is affecting my breath, my food, my living, my business, and it’s always dirty in my house”, said Si Im. Currently, trucks are very busy transporting sand to fill the lake for the development area on Street 60 from 6 pm to 6 am. In the past, they were transporting sand all day and night, and the residents complained to Meanchey district governor Pich Keomony to find a solution to this disturbance. “I have lost clients because they are afraid of the big trucks and the street is very busy, causing my clients delays to reach my shop. I am also worried about my children’s safety when they come and go from our home”, Si Im said. She conceding that things are a little better in the day time. However, he cannot sleep well at night due to the sound of the trucks transporting sand through Street 30. Hak Sophat, 23, a mechanic living and working along Street 30 raised his concerns that sand spilt from trucks get into his house almost every day. “They load the sand too high in the trucks and it spills out into people’s houses because Street 30 is higher than the front yards of the houses. The sand spills out into the street generating a lot of dust that affects people living along the street, although luckily authorities come once a week to clean up the street,” he said, adding that he cleans his house every day. People living along Street 30 suggested that the transport company work only half the night, giving some time for them to sleep soundly. Meanchey district deputy governor Keo Ratana said yesterday if Street 30 is damaged by trucks, they must repair it with their own money. “Street 30 is half-open, pending the concrete surface being completed, so that is why it is a busy street. The trucks transporting sand are rushing to fill the lake on time as they have signed a contract, so they are working all night”, Ratana said. Khmer Times could not obtain comments from Phnom Penh Department of Public Works and Transport Director Saing Piseth as he was in an online meeting. A team leader from the trucking company, who asked not to be named, told Khmer Times that he cleans street 60 in front of the site every day because Prime Minister Hun Sen always travels along Street 60 towards his home in Prek Hou commune, Takhmao city, Kandal province. “Cleaning the dirt off Street 30 is the duty of Meanchey district authorities because my boss has already paid the Meanchey district administration for this service,” he added. He added,“our team has about 30 members who take turn to drive the trucks bringing sand to fill this site all night, and we sleep during the day time”. Ministry of Public Works deputy-director So Pisey said yesterday that his department has standards for truck owners who transport sand along public roads, requiring them to cover the sand properly in order not to spill dirt into the road, which creates dust for road users. “If the trucks are still spilling sand into the road, it is the police’s duty to fine the truck and for local authorities to take action,” Pisey added.