Responding to voters about the construction of Nam Dan sluice and handling salinity at Nghi Quang bara

(Baonghean.vn)- Voters of Nghi Loc district requested the relevant authorities to speed up the construction of Nam Dan sluice to provide irrigation water for the agricultural areas of Nam Dan and Nghi Loc; and to handle the salinity of Ba Ra Nghi Quang dam.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development responded to this issue as follows:

- About Nam Dan culvert project:

The Nam Dan sluice gate phase 1 project, invested by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, has been implemented since 2010 and has been basically completed. During the construction process, due to technical adjustments and problems with site clearance, the total investment had to be adjusted.

Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has submitted to the Government for permission to adjust the total investment of the project. After the project is adjusted, the investor will focus on directing the construction of the downstream canal (under package 3) to clear the flow and promote the effectiveness of the project.

Nam Dan sewer system takes water from Lam River, photo archive.

- Regarding the treatment of saltwater intrusion at Ba Ra Nghi Quang dam:

Due to increasingly complex weather conditions, the task of preventing salinity and retaining fresh water of Bara Nghi Quang sluice is no longer as effective as designed; at times when the water level in the Southern Irrigation System is low, salinity has penetrated and encroached deep into the fields.

Fish cage farming in Nghi Quang, Nghi Loc, photo archive.

To be proactive in handling saline intrusion, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has directed the Nam Irrigation Company Limited to propose a project to repair and upgrade Bara Nghi Quang; and the Provincial People's Committee has issued Official Letter No. 3162/UBND-NN dated May 22, 2015 assigning the Department of Planning and Investment to take the lead in advising on the handling. However, due to lack of funding, the project has not been able to carry out the next steps.

In the coming time, the Provincial People's Committee will assign the Department of Planning and Investment to advise on capital sources to soon implement the project.

Gia Huy

(Synthetic)