Department of Agriculture and Rural Development handles the issue raised in the report

(Baonghean) - Nghe An Newspaper on March 26, 2014 had an article "Vach Bac irrigation project and N18 canal continue to be encroached". After inspecting the actual site, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported on the assessment of the management of Vach Bac irrigation project and N18 canal, the shortcomings in actual operation as follows:

1. Current status of the project:

The Vach Bac drainage canal was built in 1976-1978, draining floods for 13 communes of Yen Thanh district. In 1997, it was renovated and upgraded with the task of draining water for a basin area of ​​297 km2, of which the cultivated area is 50 km2 with a flood frequency of 10%. Flood diversion and flood reduction for 10,000 hectares of cultivated land in the low-lying area of ​​the Bung river basin, limiting floods for people in the area with a flood frequency of 1%, protecting the safety of the banks of the main Do Luong canal.

The canal has design criteria: Flow through Bau Du sluice Qmax = 435 (m3/s), designed flood level at Do Thanh bridge 3.42 m. Along the right bank of Vach Bac canal is N18 canal with a designed bank of 3 m wide.

Irrigation canal N18 originates from K35+946 on the right bank of Do Luong main canal. The canal has a flow rate of 1.70 m3/s, a length of 4,100 m, passing through Tho Thanh and Do Thanh communes. The project is responsible for conveying irrigation water for nearly 800 hectares of agricultural and residential land in Yen Thanh and Dien Chau districts. The section from K1+200 on the right bank has been reinforced: B bottom = 1.50m, m=1.5. The section from K1+200 to K1+400 of the earthen canal has not been reinforced.

2. Assessment of the implementation of current legal regulations on irrigation works management:

- The local government's practice of granting land and collecting fees within the protection corridor of irrigation works is contrary to current law.

- Bac Irrigation Company Limited is assigned to manage the Vach Bac irrigation project and N18 canal.

a. Vach Bac drainage canal: Every year, the Company has organized inspections and made documents on violations of households that illegally built on the banks of the Vach Bac drainage canal. The violation records are updated and fully retained by the Company. Specifically: On November 6, 1992, the Bac Irrigation Enterprise issued Official Letter No. 77CV/XN with a proposal on building houses and digging for gardens on the Vach Bac drainage canal to the Chairman of the People's Committee of Yen Thanh district and the Chairman of the People's Committee of Do Thanh commune, reporting that 46 households had built houses on the banks of the canal. From 1992 to present, Bac Irrigation Company Limited has issued many documents to urge, propagate, mobilize, prevent violations, make records of violations of each household's construction works, which have been confirmed by local authorities and reported to Yen Thanh District People's Committee, Yen Thanh Chief Inspector, Do Thanh Commune People's Committee, Tho Thanh Commune People's Committee. The situation of violations of Vach Bac drainage canal in Do Thanh and Tho Thanh communes has so far only been resolved by cutting trees directly to the flow and some auxiliary works. The construction of houses and other works has not been resolved, but on the contrary, it has increased, affecting the flood drainage capacity of Vach Bac drainage canal as well as the long-term planning of the canal system.

b. N18 Canal: The canal passes through residential and market areas, so hundreds of households deliberately violate construction regulations such as building bridges over the canal, fences, and dumping waste into the canal every day, causing serious blockages and environmental pollution.

The Northern Irrigation Company Limited has inspected, discovered, made a record of suspending the illegal construction within the project area and invited the local authorities to witness and sent many official dispatches and reports to the People's Committee of Yen Thanh District and the People's Committee of Do Thanh Commune requesting attention and assistance, but the resolution of the violation has not been prevented and is still continuing. The arbitrary construction of a bridge over the canal without a license and planning has caused the canal to be deformed, and rocks and soil have fallen into the canal bed, greatly affecting the water transfer, causing drought in the area of ​​Dien Chau district, especially causing many difficulties and complications for dredging and silting to repair the project.

3. Assessment of the coordination situation between the unit and the locality in handling violations of irrigation works:

On August 24, 2004, the Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention of Nghe An province, led by Mr. Phan Dinh Trac - Director of the Provincial Police, gave instructions and issued directives to the People's Committee of Yen Thanh district and the People's Committee of Do Thanh commune to direct the dismantling of auxiliary works, architectural objects and cutting down trees in the canal before the 2004 storm season.

On September 3, 2004, the People's Committee of Yen Thanh district, the People's Committee of Do Thanh commune, and the Bac Irrigation Company Limited established an inspection team to clear the violations. The inspection team determined that 79 households had ancillary works, architectural structures of all kinds, and trees that directly affected the flow on the right bank and had to be cleared, but the results did not meet the requirements.

On September 30, 2005, Bac Irrigation Company Limited surveyed and established a specific map of the Vach Bac drainage canal in comparison with the Ordinance on Exploitation and Protection of Irrigation Works and coordinated with departments and branches of the People's Committee of Do Thanh commune to establish a clearance team. As a result, 26/52 households were cleared of auxiliary works and 0/11 households were cleared of houses.

Faced with increasing violations, from 2006 to now, at least 5 times, leaders of Yen Thanh District People's Committee and leaders of the Company have directly come to Do Thanh Commune People's Committee to discuss solutions to violations on the Vach Bac drainage canal, but there has been no progress because households have built solid structures on the allocated land plots.

On April 2, 2014, Yen Thanh District People's Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 30/BC-UBND reporting the current encroachment status and proposing to handle violations on the Vach Bac dike, the section passing through Do Thanh commune. Through the specific review results, there are currently 199 households and individuals with land on the dike, of which 146 households and individuals have built solid structures and 53 households have not yet built.

4. Recommendations:

Propose that the Provincial People's Committee assign: Specialized sectors to inspect the illegal sale of land by the People's Committee of Do Thanh commune and handle violations according to current legal regulations.

Yen Thanh District People's Committee has taken measures to thoroughly clear the encroachment of the Vach Bac drainage canal and the N18 canal. Specifically, the encroachment of the drainage canal in Do Thanh and Tho Thanh communes has narrowed the flood drainage cross-section, prevented construction waste from being dumped into the canal, and prevented water pollution.

The Northern Irrigation Company Limited, the owner of the Vach Bac drainage canal and N18 canal, coordinated with the locality to clear the flow blockage and encroachment on the construction corridor, and promptly developed a flood scenario for the encroached construction corridor area in Do Thanh commune and Tho Thanh commune to be proactive in flood and storm prevention.

Bac Irrigation Company Limited, owner of the Vach Bac drainage canal and N18 canal, set up boundary markers according to Decision 46/2012/QD-UBND dated July 20, 2012 of the Provincial People's Committee promulgating regulations on the protection scope of irrigation works.

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development