I heard and saw it in Chau Binh...
We arrived in Chau Binh commune on July 22nd - the time when typhoon number 3 made landfall, with continuous heavy rain; from what we heard and saw, we were able to empathize with the anxieties of the officials and people in the reservoir area of the Ban Mong irrigation project...
Nhat Lan• July 26, 2025
With our attention focused on the national key project of the Ban Mong irrigation reservoir, we had been aware of the potential negative consequences arising in the area since the beginning of May 2025. These included: the flooding of cemeteries and agricultural areas caused by the construction of auxiliary dam 1; damage and blockage of the drainage canal system, leading to landslides affecting residential and garden land; and concerns that the Ban Mong reservoir area would become isolated once water was accumulated…
Following the meeting between provincial People's Council representatives and voters in Chau Binh commune on May 23, 2025, we contacted another representative to gather more information. He informed us that the meeting revolved almost exclusively around issues related to the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project.
The provincial People's Council representative commented: "The reality shows that, in the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project, from the initial design to the implementation process over the past years, the negative impacts on the production and living conditions of the people have not been fully and properly assessed. Now that the shortcomings have become clear, we need to focus on addressing them with a people-centered approach..."
A few days later, we were able to access Document No. 26/BC-MTTQ-BTT dated May 26, 2025, "Summary of opinions and recommendations of voters at the mid-year 2025 session of the 18th Provincial People's Council" from the Fatherland Front Committee of Quy Chau district (formerly). This confirmed the content of the discussion by the Provincial People's Council representative. Because among the several dozen opinions of voters from Chau Binh commune, clearly stating their names, residences, phone numbers, etc., more than half concerned issues related to the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project.
Voter Phan Bá Chiến (Secretary of the Party Branch of Kẻ Tằm village) reported on March 30, 2025, that the construction of auxiliary dam 1 caused flooding in the Tằm 1 village cemetery, affecting 180 graves; not to mention some graves that could not be counted due to the flooding. He believes the cause was inaccurate determination of boundary markers and flood levels, leading to the cemetery area not being counted or relocated before the construction of auxiliary dam 1.
Therefore, he suggested that the higher authorities should provide guidance so that the project investor could develop a plan to compensate and relocate all the flooded graves to another location; pay for the costs of organizing traditional ceremonies for the deceased; and find land to establish a new cemetery for the people…
At the same time, voter Phan Bá Chiến also informed that in Kẻ Tằm village, there are about 30 hectares of agricultural land (including 6 hectares of double-cropping rice land) that have been isolated but are not included in the area reclaimed by the State. He requested that a road be built to access the land so that the people are not affected in their production…
Voter Lang Viet Dan (from Ke Khoang village) reported that 74 households in the village are affected by the construction of auxiliary dam No. 3 and the Chau Binh drainage canal; of which, 14 households have lost their houses, gardens, and land; and 9 households are isolated due to flooding and lack of access roads. Voter Lang Viet Dan requested that higher authorities pay attention and develop a plan for land clearance; for households affected by flooding and lacking access roads, he requested a plan to build bridges and upgrade roads to facilitate transportation for the people.
Voter Nguyen Van Phong (Quynh 1 village) reported that both banks of the Chau Binh drainage canal section passing through Quynh 1 village are experiencing erosion, affecting land outside the compensated project area and impacting the lives of households living on both sides of the canal. He requested that the competent authorities develop a plan to prevent erosion of the Chau Binh drainage canal so that households on both sides can live in peace...
Along with the opinions of the voters, the Fatherland Front of Chau Binh commune (formerly) also reported on the people's petition regarding the State's allocation of forest land in the Bu Do area, which overlaps with the planning of the Ban Mong irrigation reservoir project. This issue involves 94 households in the villages of Quynh 1, Quynh 2, 3/4, Dong Phau, Ke Mong, Ke Khoang, and Ke Nam; and the people petitioned to exchange the overlapping allocated land for agricultural land to develop the economy…
On June 4th, we visited the former Chau Binh commune. At that time, although they were focusing on preparing for the operation of the two-tiered local government, the commune's Party committee and government were particularly concerned about addressing issues arising from the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project.
According to Mr. Le Van Toan, Secretary of the Party Committee of Chau Binh commune (formerly), the request regarding the flooded area of Ke Tam village cemetery has been addressed by Quy Chau district (formerly) and the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project Management Board. However, many complex issues and obstacles have arisen in the area. For example, the flooding is not only occurring in Ke Tam village but also at the two cemeteries of Ke Mong village; resettlement areas are still unfinished; and when the Ban Mong reservoir is filled with water, additional areas will become isolated and cut off…
On July 22nd, we made another trip back to Chau Binh commune. At this time, due to the influence of typhoon number 3, the entire Chau Binh commune was experiencing torrential rain. Visiting the two resettlement areas, including the resettlement area at slope 77 and the resettlement area behind auxiliary dam 1, we found that there was still much work to be done.
Notably, due to heavy rains causing flooding in some households, a large drainage ditch, 70-80 meters long, had to be dug on the land behind auxiliary dam 1 to drain the water. Visiting the drainage canal system in Ke Khoang and Quynh 1 villages, the canal beds are being dredged to remove layers of mud and silt that are causing blockages, but landslides on both sides of the canal are clearly visible. Meanwhile, in Ke Mong village, both the Ke Mong and Tong Ho cemeteries, located near Co Ba bridge, are currently flooded…
We visited the household of Ms. Pham Thi Chinh in Quynh 1 village to assess the situation of landslides affecting her house and garden caused by the drainage canal system. Ms. Chinh's house and garden are only about 8-9 meters from the drainage canal. In her garden, she only planted acacia trees "to prevent soil erosion and to generate additional income after about 5 years." However, the land bordering the drainage canal has already experienced landslides.
Standing on the cracked and crumbling ground, Mrs. Chinh explained that since the drainage canal was built, every time there is heavy rain, water rushes in, pushing garden soil into the canal and causing landslides. If no preventative measures are taken, the landslides will continue, affecting people's land and houses, and causing blockages and damage to the state-owned canal system.
Expressing her concern, Ms. Pham Thi Chinh said: “I have repeatedly raised this issue on behalf of the people here, but it has not been resolved. The households living along the canal are very worried. They don't dare sleep at night when it rains heavily. I hope this problem will be resolved so that the people's property and the State's property are not damaged…”
According to Mr. Bui Hoang Tung, Deputy Head of the Economic Department of Chau Binh commune, the residents' complaints about landslides affecting their homes and gardens are accurate. The landslides are causing siltation in the drainage canal, obstructing water flow and preventing proper drainage.
This issue has been brought to the attention of higher authorities by the commune, and the investor, the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project Management Board, has directed the construction unit to dredge the land, clear the waterway, and prevent flooding in Chau Binh commune.
However, this is only a temporary measure, as the drainage canal is an earthen channel, and over time it will continue to suffer from erosion and landslides due to heavy rains, causing sedimentation and blockage of the flow. Therefore, Chau Binh commune is continuing to petition the investor to study and address these issues.
"In our opinion, it is necessary to continue lowering the canal banks and widening the canal bed...", Mr. Bui Hoang Tung stated.
Upon arriving at the Chau Binh commune headquarters, we were presented with Report No. 04/BC-MTTQ dated July 17, 2025, "Summary of voters' opinions before the 14th session of the XXth term of the Chau Binh Commune People's Council, 2021-2026" from the Standing Committee of the Chau Binh Commune Fatherland Front.
This report includes 14 items under the investment and construction sector and 10 items under the land and environment sector. Within each item, there are numerous recommendations, mainly related to the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project.
According to Mr. Lo Van The, Chairman of the Chau Binh Commune People's Committee, the Ban Mong irrigation reservoir project has dragged on for many years, resulting in numerous problems. Specifically, in the reservoir area belonging to Chau Binh commune, new issues have arisen after the construction of auxiliary dam 1. Currently, the commune government and the Ban Mong Project Management Board are focusing on resolving these issues. However, many tasks remain unfinished, and it is predicted that more complex problems may continue to arise.
Regarding the flooded cemeteries, Chau Binh commune has reached an agreement with the people on a plan to relocate the graves; they have also identified land locations for building new cemeteries. However, building essential infrastructure such as access roads to the new cemeteries will require more time for land use planning.
Regarding the survey records of the reservoir area, Chau Binh commune has received them in the past, but after several periods of rain, it has been observed that the water level has risen and flooded some areas outside the boundaries that were handed over to the commune. In these areas, some production areas and households are isolated, affecting their daily lives and production.
The commune hopes that the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project Management Board and higher-level agencies will urgently remeasure the discovered locations so that those areas can be included in the land acquisition and clearance plan as soon as possible, or develop a plan to build access roads without affecting the people.
Regarding the two resettlement areas, they are currently incomplete, while many households need housing land, so it is crucial to expedite the process. Without these resettlement areas, Chau Binh commune will face difficulties in land clearance…
According to the Chairman of the Chau Binh Commune People's Committee, Lo Van The, the areas identified as isolated when the reservoir fills with water are concentrated in Ke Tam, Ke Khoang, and Binh Quang villages, with a total of 34 households. In Binh Quang village alone, 19 households and approximately 1,000 hectares of production forest land will be isolated.
“This is an issue that needs to be investigated and resolved soon. In addition, we hope that higher authorities will direct the design consulting unit to accurately determine the overflow water level of the Ban Mong irrigation reservoir, to avoid new problems arising after water impoundment, which would make handling them very reactive and difficult…”, Mr. Lo Van The explained.
Contacting the Project Management Board for Investment and Construction of Agricultural and Rural Development Projects in Nghe An (a unit under the Department of Agriculture and Environment – the investor responsible for land clearance of the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project, Phase 1), it was learned that the Board has a basic understanding of the obstacles in the reservoir area of Chau Binh commune. It was also informed that on July 11, 2025, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep visited the province to assess progress and resolve obstacles in the project implementation process.
On July 16, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment issued a notice summarizing the conclusions of Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep, which required the consulting unit to re-examine and reassess the floodwater levels, identify areas and subjects affected by flooding; and assigned the Department of Agriculture and Environment to conduct a comprehensive review and propose a plan for constructing and restoring local roads to the Provincial People's Committee.
Thus, it can be seen that the problems in Chau Binh commune have been and are being addressed by central and provincial authorities, who have proposed solutions. However, the deadline for completing land clearance for Phase 1 of the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project is only a little over 5 months away (December 31, 2025). Therefore, accurate and thorough assessment and resolution of emerging problems must be urgently carried out to ensure the completion of the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project and the stability of the people in the reservoir area of Chau Binh commune!
