Closely monitor the conversion of forest use purposes to implement the Ban Mong Reservoir Project.

Key projects

Ban Mong Reservoir Project, is one of the largest irrigation projects in North Central Vietnam, with a design capacity of 235 million m³This project has the ability to reduce flooding downstream and quench the thirst of thousands of hectares of land in the districts of Quy Chau, Quy Hop, Nghia Dan, Anh Son, Tan Ky, and Thai Hoa town. This project is located in the two provinces of Nghe An and Thanh Hoa and was approved for investment by the Prime Minister in 2006.

The project consists of 4 components, including: Headworks component, canal system in the irrigation area taking water directly from Ban Mong lake; Pumping stations component taking water from Hieu river and the canal system, works on the canal; Compensation, site clearance, resettlement component and Hydropower project component.

The inspection team at the site of Ban Mong Reservoir Project. Photo: Thanh Le

Up to now, for the Construction Component, the units have completed 8 pumping stations in the downstream of Hieu River, providing irrigation water for 3,098 hectares; the headworks have been completed at about 94%.

In Nghe An province, to implement this project, the authorities have cleared 1,199 out of 2,276 hectares of affected land; relocated 170 households with 511 people in Chau Binh commune, Quy Chau district with a compensation of 165.53 billion VND.

Currently, the People's Committee of Quy Chau district is implementing the construction of 2 resettlement areas to soon ensure stable life for people after the water storage project. At the Doc 77 resettlement area with 24 lots, the units have basically completed the construction, are researching and adjusting the slope of the resettlement area to suit the actual terrain. Particularly, the resettlement area after the auxiliary dam 1 (75 lots) has completed 40% of the construction volume, and is completing the planning adjustment to submit to competent authorities for appraisal and approval to continue construction.

The monitoring team inspects the construction progress at the Doc 77 resettlement area. Photo: Tien Dong

To implement the Ban Mong Reservoir Project, the 14th National Assembly approved the policy of converting forest use to other purposes with a total converted area of ​​1,131.22 hectares in both Nghe An and Thanh Hoa provinces, of which, in Nghe An, the total forest area to be converted to other purposes is 544.77 hectares, including 130.25 hectares of natural forest and 414.52 hectares of planted forest.

Currently, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has decided to change the purpose of forest use to other purposes for 360.12 hectares. The remaining 184.65 hectares have not yet been decided to change and are waiting for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to continue to allocate funds for reforestation and conversion according to the construction progress.

Comrade Hoang Nghia Hieu - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee inspected the model of planting custard apple trees intercropped with pineapple in Quynh Luu district. Photo: Thanh Le

At the meeting, the representative of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An province reported on the situation of reforestation when implementing the Ban Mong Reservoir Project, in which, with a total area of ​​​​544.77 hectares of forest use purpose conversion, the total amount of money for reforestation to be paid is more than 36 billion VND. With 360.12 hectares having a conversion decision, the investor has paid to the Forest Protection and Development Fund 20 billion VND, out of a total of 24.2 billion VND.

The area of ​​replacement forestation is still low.

Currently, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has also decided to allocate 15,750 billion VND in replacement forest planting funds to forest owners to plant 350 hectares. To date, forest owners have approved the technical design documents and estimated budget for planting 171.97 hectares, equivalent to a budget of more than 7.7 billion VND. For the remaining area, forest owners are preparing the site, seedlings, materials and planting in the Fall crop of 2021 and the Spring crop of 2023.

Comrade Hoang Nghia Hieu - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee informed the monitoring delegation about the replacement forestation activities. Photo: Tien Dong

According to Mr. Nguyen Hao - Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, due to many changes in policies, regulations and many arising items, the cost of implementing this project has increased, causing the completion progress to be delayed. Currently, the investor is implementing some shortcomings in compensation and site clearance to elevation +71.86m. However, the Project has not yet been approved by the Prime Minister for adjustment. Therefore, there is no budget to compensate and pay affected households, units and businesses.

According to Mr. Hao, regarding the replacement forestation, the investor has currently paid 20 out of the total 36.2 billion VND, the remaining 16.2 billion VND has not been funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Not to mention, according to regulations, the source of funding for replacement forestation is used to plant protective forests and special-use forests. However, the current situation of planting protective and special-use forests in the province is very fragmented, in remote areas, with rugged terrain, making afforestation very difficult, and the areas that are easy to plant forests have basically been planted. Therefore, units and forest owners are very hesitant in registering plans for replacement forestation.

At the meeting, representatives of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An, Project Management Board 4 and a number of related departments and branches also proposed to the monitoring delegation of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment to report to the National Assembly with opinions suggesting that the Prime Minister direct relevant ministries and branches to soon allow project adjustments and allocate sufficient capital to ensure proper implementation of the set plan.

Workers construct items at the Doc 77 resettlement area in Chau Binh commune (Quy Chau). Photo: Tien Dong

At the same time, it is recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development soon make adjustments to expand the scope of production forest planting, consider allowing investment in the regeneration promotion enclosure project with additional forest planting to ensure improved forest quality, both ensuring the goal of compensating and replacing converted forest areas, and ensuring the goal of improving forest quality, especially natural forests restored after slash-and-burn farming.

Speaking at the meeting, Comrade Nguyen Thi Le Thuy also highly appreciated the efforts of agencies and units in implementing the project, at the same time, there were many efforts in reforestation and resettlement for people in the affected areas. The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment also requested the People's Committee of Nghe An province to have a specific report, fully assessing the effectiveness of the work volume done. For converted forest areas, there should be a specific report on the handling of forest products.