Make a mark with critical consulting activities

(Baonghean) - After 60 years of construction and development, the irrigation sector of the whole country in general and Nghe An in particular has achieved proud feats in conquering nature, exploiting the benefits, preventing the harms, contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the province.

Entering the period of innovation, implementing the policy of merger, the name of irrigation is no longer in the organization of the State apparatus, but the role and position of irrigation in production and life still occupies a unique position. In order to gather and promote the intellectual talent of the staff in the industry to actively contribute to the common cause, in 2006, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 1548/QD-UBND allowing the establishment of Nghe An Irrigation Association.

Comrade Nguyen Quang Hoa discussed with people of Chau Binh commune (Quy Chau) the value of criticism work for the Ban Mong Reservoir project.

After 10 years of operation, Nghe An Irrigation Association has affirmed its position as a professional social organization, sensitive and creative in its activities, first of all, it established the Center for Consulting on Application of Science, Technology and Irrigation Technology as a focal point for scientific activities. The association's activities have closely followed the requirements and tasks of the industry and locality, providing many practical activities that have created successful marks in various fields, in which the most prominent is the criticism work.

On the principle of compliance with the law of consultation and scientific arguments, the success has the initial meaning of policy criticism, in which the policy of exempting irrigation fees for farmers is an example. That is: The National Assembly allows exemption of irrigation fees for farmers. However, on October 15, 2007, the Government issued Decree No. 154/2007/ND-CP stipulating that irrigation fees (TLP) are only exempted for farmers using water for rice cultivation in irrigation works invested in and constructed by the State and managed by companies and enterprises. Farmers in areas that have not received State investment and have to borrow capital, contribute to the construction and management of the works are not entitled to this policy.

Forecasting that the situation would be unstable when the above policy came into effect, the association boldly prepared a counter-report to submit to the National Assembly and competent authorities from the central to provincial levels and wrote an article “Irrigation fees in Nghe An make some laugh, others cry” published in central and local newspapers and received public support. As a result, just one year later, the Government issued Decree No. 115/2008 dated November 14, 2008 replacing Decree No. 154/2007/ND-CP stipulating exemption of irrigation fees for all households using water in irrigation works regardless of the investment and management of the works.

Regarding the criticism of project programs, the most profound impression is the Ban Mong Reservoir Project. According to the approved Ban Mong Reservoir Project, Chau Binh Commune, Quy Chau District, including ethnic minorities and lowland people who came to reclaim land to make a living, overcame many difficulties and established a stable life, developing the economy to the top of Quy Chau District, was flooded in the reservoir, 773 households had to be relocated; flooded infrastructure includes: Commune People's Committee Headquarters 748 m2; Medical Station 668 m2; Post Office 80 m2, 3.8 km of National Highway 48; 4 transformer stations and high and low voltage lines; All schools at all levels... The approved resettlement planning areas are not feasible due to lack of land and water resources.

Assessment of the Ban Mong Reservoir Project's potential failure. After submitting and being assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to review the project, the association mobilized engineers and leading experts to focus on research and survey to propose a unique, scientific and highly feasible technical solution, which was highly appreciated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and accepted to add the auxiliary dam, reservoir canal and Chau Binh commune drainage canal. The effectiveness of the review has basically separated Chau Binh commune from the reservoir, 585 households do not have to relocate out of 773 approved relocated households, National Highway 48 and all infrastructure facilities, 215 hectares of rice fields are protected, the water level in the reservoir remains the same as the original design, especially reducing resettlement investment by 272 billion VND compared to the total approved investment capital.

Researching the map and verifying in the field, a counter-report was prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, highly appreciating and accepting the plan to bring water from Ban Mong Lake across Hieu River to irrigate 2,263 hectares by gravity instead of 3 pumping stations taking water from Hieu River.

Operating effectively, the association was also entrusted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with the task of reviewing, optimizing the salinity control gate and improving the environment in the downstream of the Hoang Mai River. The review report of this project was highly appreciated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. In addition to the project consultant unit accepting and editing, the project approval document signed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development also noted to continue studying the 3 recommendations of the reviewers.

Not only that, the criticism activities have also been expanded to other fields, especially the field of anti-corruption and waste prevention. The effectiveness is recognized as the association won a high prize in the Vietnam Anti-Corruption Initiative (VACI) 2013 contest jointly organized by the Government Inspector General and the World Bank. The contest project with the theme "Building policy mechanisms, bringing criticism policies into life in Nghe An", surpassed 150 projects nationwide, and was selected with 40 projects to the final round. At the same time, it was evaluated by international judges as one of 24 winning projects and was funded for implementation, bringing practical and useful results, contributing to the Provincial People's Committee issuing Decision No. 60/2014/UBND on "Regulations on the mechanism of consulting, criticism and social appraisal of the Union of Science and Technology Associations of Nghe An province".

The results in the critical activities of Nghe An Irrigation Association not only demonstrate the intelligence, responsibility and mettle of the staff working in science and technology in the Irrigation sector but also demonstrate the democracy and civilization of the regime, which is an element of social sciences and humanities, and is the environment and driving force to help the association develop strongly and achieve many successes in the new period.

Nguyen Quang Hoa

(Vice President, General Secretary of Nghe An Irrigation Association)