Restarting Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation project

Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system in Tan Thang commune, Quynh Luu district has many unfinished construction items. Photo: Van Truong

Project "Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation systemin Tan Thang commune, Quynh Luu district" was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Decision 1609 dated June 11, 2009 with a capital of more than 227.8 billion VND, with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An as the investor. The project started construction in early 2010, and according to the commitment, the project will be put into use by 2014. However, due to many reasons, the project was behind schedule and had to temporarily stop construction in 2017.

After 8 years of implementation, the Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system construction project has only completed auxiliary dams 1 and 2, water intake culverts, power lines, spillways, management house... However, because the project has stopped construction, many items of the project have been degraded and damaged.

According to the plan, to implement the Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system project phase 1, more than 300 households will be compensated and cleared with a total land area of ​​over 364 hectares, mainly agricultural and forestry land. However, up to now, the investor has only approved and compensated more than 80 hectares with a total amount of over 80 billion VND. About 100 households living in the reservoir are still unable to relocate due to lack of funds for site clearance.

Faced with the above situation, on October 29, 2021, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Decision No. 4228 approving the adjustment of the Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system project, phase 1. The total investment is 627 billion VND (of which the cost of site clearance is more than 373 billion VND). The project implementation content is as follows: Building a monitoring and information system for reservoir operations. Developing a plan to prevent and combat floods in the downstream area of ​​the dam, marking the protection range of the dam and reservoir.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development assigned the General Department of Irrigation to preside over and perform the function of State management of construction investment, and to be responsible for guiding and inspecting the Investor in organizing and managing the project in accordance with current regulations.

The fence system at Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system in Tan Thang commune, Quynh Luu district was damaged. Photo: Van Truong

Nghe An Provincial People's Committee continues to organize the implementation of all compensation and site clearance work and procedures for converting forest land use purposes, reforestation... within the expected capital source, in accordance with current regulations and is responsible for its decisions.

Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development performs the functions and tasks of the Investor in compliance with current regulations, strictly manages the quality, progress of the project, and investment costs during the project implementation process. Organizes the appraisal of all contents and approves the budget outline and design documents of the following items: Marking the protection range of dams and reservoirs, and developing plans for flood prevention and control in the downstream areas of the dam.

Build a reservoir monitoring and information system. Establish reservoir operation procedures, compensation plans, and support for site clearance. Prepare records for forest use conversion and reservoir cleanup plans. Prepare reports for surface water exploitation permits, comply with current regulations, and be responsible for your decisions.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dinh - Vice Chairman of the District People's CommitteeQuynh Luuadded: To ensure the progress of the above project, Quynh Luu district is responsible for compensation and site clearance. From the beginning of 2022, Quynh Luu district has established and completed the Compensation and Site Clearance Council. Focusing on site clearance of over 200 hectares of land in the Khe Lai reservoir area, mainly in Tan Thang commune, including forest land, agricultural land, and residential land.

Currently, the Compensation Council for Site Clearance is conducting the review, measurement, inventory, counting, and pricing process related to 29 households with residential land, houses, and structures; 64 households of team members (Quynh Luu Youth Volunteer Team). According to the schedule, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development requires that the site be handed over in 2023, with compensation for site clearance of over 300 billion VND.

The completed Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system has helped reduce flooding on the Hoang Mai River, minimizing inundation for people in Hoang Mai town and Quynh Luu district. (In the photo: Hoang Mai town was flooded due to heavy rain after the circulation of storm No. 4 at the end of September). Photo courtesy: Hai Hoang

However, the issue of compensation for site clearance is still facing difficulties such as land records have many shortcomings and problems over many periods. Some do not have land plot records, cadastral maps and land allocation records, there are cases of buying and selling land without going through the government... After reviewing, the district must ask for opinions from relevant competent agencies to clearly determine the origin of the land.

According to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, after completing the site clearance work, the Khe Lai - Vuc Mau irrigation system construction project will be implemented in 2023 and completed and put into use in 2024. This is an irrigation project with a particularly important position in promoting the socio-economic development of the Western region of Quynh Luu district and Hoang Mai town.

This project, when completed and put into use, will provide irrigation water for 1,524 hectares of cultivated land (both rice and industrial crops), creating a source of domestic water for 11,700 people, and supplementing water for the lake.The Abyss13.4 million m³/year and participate in flood reduction on Hoang Mai River. In particular, Khe Lai Irrigation Project is closely related to water security, supplementing Vuc Mau Lake to supply water for Hoang Mai Industrial Park and Dong Hoi Industrial Park./.