Nghe An proposes the Central Government to provide funding for Ban Mong irrigation project

(Baonghean.vn)-The progress of the Ban Mong Reservoir construction project is being delayed due to a significant lack of capital.

The Ban Mong Reservoir construction project (including irrigation and hydropower) is one of the key irrigation projects, part of the economic and social development investment program of Western Nghe An.

Construction began in 2009, the project was built on Hieu River in Yen Hop Commune, Quy Hop District, Nghe An Province with a total investment capital of 4,455 billion VND from government bonds, the project is jointly invested by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People's Committee of Nghe An Province.

The project is still unfinished. Photo: Phuong Thao

The main task of the project is to provide irrigation water for 18,871 hectares of agricultural land along the Hieu River to develop intensive, high-yield, and efficient commodity agriculture, of which 2,713 hectares are self-flowing, the rest is dynamically irrigated by a system of pumping stations and a canal system built under the main dam stretching along both banks of the river; performing the task of generating electricity with a capacity of 42MW.

In addition, the project also has the important function of creating a water supply for the locality in the dry season with a flow of 22m³/s, water supply for industrial production, people's lives, livestock, aquaculture development, combined with partial flood reduction for the downstream of Hieu River and environmental improvement in the project area mainly for Nghia Dan, Quy Hop districts, Thai Hoa town, Tan Ky.

Up to now, the total capital allocated for the Compensation, Land Acquisition, Resettlement and Pumping Stations from Hieu River component invested by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has only reached 1,132/2,020 billion VND, equivalent to 56% of the capital demand.

Mr. Dinh Tri Lam - Deputy Head of Mong Village Management Board said: The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Provincial People's Committee have repeatedly proposed to higher levels to supplement capital for the project, however, due to limited government bond capital, they cannot provide enough for the project as required. Up to now, it is almost the end of the second quarter of 2017 but there is still no announcement of the 2017 capital plan for the project.

Regarding the construction and installation of the auxiliary dam and Chau Binh drainage canal, the progress has not been made in general. Specifically: Construction and installation package No. 13, contractor Minh Quang Company Limited is continuing to complete the construction of auxiliary dams 2 and 3; completing the construction and installation of the right shoulder of auxiliary dam 1; the implementation value reached 67,956,144 million VND, reaching 67% of the contract value.

Construction package No. 14, contractor General Company 36 has completed the Chau Binh drainage canal, other items and the lake channel are being completed, the cumulative volume value reached 430,553,767 million VND, equivalent to 93% of the contract value.

Construction package No. 01 has relocated a number of 101kV electric poles within the canal. The contractor has completed the foundation and pole installation for 3/5 locations No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5; currently continuing to construct the foundation at locations No. 1 and No. 4.

For the Vuc Giong and Dong Giong pumping stations, the construction and installation has been completed and the handover procedures are currently underway. The bidding packages for the Lang Rao pumping station are much behind schedule due to the unresolved land acquisition and construction issues for the canal.

The leader of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said: The Department has advised the Provincial People's Committee and the Provincial People's Committee has sent a document recommending the Government and central ministries and branches to soon approve the 2017 capital plan so that the project can be completed soon, effectively, avoiding the situation of delay, prolongation and change of construction items affecting the socio-economy of the districts and the lives of the people./.

Ngoc Anh