Khe Lai - Vuc Mau Irrigation Project (Quynh Luu) slow in site clearance

Some items at Khe Lai Lake that were unfinished 12 years ago have now deteriorated. Photo: Van Truong

Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system projectPhase 1, invested by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The purpose is to provide irrigation water for 1,524 hectares of cultivated land, including rice and industrial crops, and at the same time, create a source of domestic water for 11,700 people in the surrounding area.

In addition, it also provides water forVuc Mau Lakewith reserves of 13.4 million m³/year and participates in flood reduction on Hoang Mai River. This project was approved in June 2009, started in 2010, with a total investment of more than 227.8 billion VND. However, due to many reasons, the project was behind schedule and had to be temporarily suspended in 2017.

To continue building this project, on October 29, 2021, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Decision No. 4228 approving the adjustment of the Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system project, phase 1. The total investment is 627 billion VND (of which the cost of site clearance is more than 373 billion VND).

The reservoir area of ​​Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system. Photo: Van Truong

The State budget capital is managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The project implementation includes: Building a reservoir monitoring and information system; Developing a plan to prevent and combat floods in the downstream area of ​​the dam; marking the protection range of the dam and reservoir.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development assigned the People's Committee of Nghe An province to continue to organize the implementation of all compensation and site clearance work and procedures for converting forest land use purposes, reforestation... The above project is required to complete compensation and site clearance in 2023 and extend the project implementation period until 2024 when the project will be put into use.

District People's CommitteeQuynh Luuwas assigned to be responsible for the compensation and site clearance. Since the beginning of 2022, Quynh Luu district has established the Compensation and Site Clearance Council for the "Khe Lai - Vuc Mau Irrigation System Project Phase 1". Focusing on site clearance of over 200 hectares of land in the Khe Lai reservoir area, mainly in Tan Thang commune, including forest land, agricultural land, and residential land.

The dam body section has been completed. Photo: Van Truong

From December 15, 2022 to this point, the total cost of compensation for site clearance for the above project has been paid over 23 billion VND, achieving progress of over 30% of the volume. Of which, for agricultural land, 197/306 plots of 53 households with an area of ​​55.26 hectares have been inventoried. 53 plots of land of 13 households with an area of ​​6.1 hectares have been priced, the remaining plots of land are completing documents to examine the origin of the land.

Residential land has been inventoried for 22/28 plots, belonging to 21 households with an area of ​​6.4 hectares. The households' assets have been valued, and the province is currently waiting for the residential land price to appraise and approve the plan. Forest land has been inventoried for 19/43 plots, with an area of ​​25.27 hectares belonging to 8 individual households.

Currently, a survey has been conducted to select a location to build a resettlement area for households whose residential land has been recovered.

This project must convert over 60 hectares of forest land, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee has sent the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development an explanation document. In which, it recommends the Prime Minister to approve the policy of converting forest use to other purposes (including production forests, natural forests, and protection forests).

Some areas of acacia forest have not yet been compensated for site clearance. Photo: Van Truong

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dinh - Vice Chairman of Quynh Luu District People's Committee said: Although Quynh Luu District has actively participated, the compensation and site clearance work for the Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system project is still slow. Currently, the project's capital has disbursed over 100 billion VND for compensation and site clearance, however, it has not been paid to households on schedule. Specifically, 24/43 plots of forestry land, 267/267 plots of land in the Youth Volunteer Force area, 99/306 plots of agricultural land, and 6/28 plots of residential land of households have not been inventoried.

The reason is the difficulty in determining the land owner, land origin, land type and allocation rate for each household. Some land plots have differences in land type on different maps, leading to difficulties in determining land type for compensation and support, not to mention that previously, land was bought and sold without going through the government. However, it can also be seen that if there is no determination and responsibility, the project may have its capital cut.