Return the flow of Hoang Mai river!

Still stuck!

The situation of Hoang Mai River and Nha Le Canal being blocked was reported by Nghe An Newspaper in the articles "Finding the cause of the severe flood in Hoang Mai town" (October 6, 2022);“Flow blockages and flash floods”(October 15, 2022).

On the afternoon of October 17, more than 10 days after our last return (October 5), we continued to be present atHoang Mai River, where Hoang Mai 2 bridge on the North-South expressway is being built. The person who led us was Mr. Nguyen Ba The - Head of the Urban Management Department of Hoang Mai town. On the North bank of the bridge (in Quynh Vinh commune) and the South bank (in Quynh Trang commune), Mr. The said that he was often present here to inspect and urge the construction unit to clear all soil and rocks on the Hoang Mai riverbed. However, when witnessing, the Head of the Urban Management Department expressed his frustration because the clearance and return of the flow was still at a standstill. "The Town People's Committee has repeatedly urged by written documents and phone calls..." - Mr. The said.

On the afternoon of October 17, when we arrived at the scene, a large amount of soil and rock used to build a public road across the Hoang Mai River had not yet been cleared. Photo: Tien Dong

Regarding the current situation, amidst the chaos of soil and rocks, the Hoang Mai River is still being squeezed. The traces of the public road for the construction of the highway across the river built by the contractors are still very clear. Right on the riverbank, there is a mound of soil and rocks rising up, higher than a person's head. From here, because the distance from the bank is only about 10m and the road is still compacted with soil and rocks, it is easy to walk to the middle of the river. In the middle of the river, there are many mounds of soil and rocks rising up, blocking the flow. On the south bank, the temporary concrete bridge pier located right at the foot of Hoang Mai 2 Bridge has not yet been demolished.

Arriving at Quynh Phuong ward, where the coastal road passes through, at the section where the Hoang Mai River splits into two branches, one of which is almost completely blocked. The reason is that the construction unit dumped soil to block the Bac Cau stream, creating only a 2m wide space for the water to flow. This section is invested by the Traffic Construction Project Management Board, under the Department of Transport.

On the coastal road, the section passing through Quynh Phuong ward, the public road was also built across the river, leaving only a section of about 2m open for water to flow through. Photo: Tien Dong

Also on this route, through Nha Le canal, there is a public road built across the canal that had to be demolished on the morning of September 30, when the flood was at its peak. However, there is still a temporary bridge with 2 concrete piers blocking the flow. In the northern area of ​​Hoang Mai town, including communes and wards such as Quynh Vinh, Quynh Loc, Quynh Thien, Nha Le canal is a very important drainage canal. During the recent flood, because Nha Le canal was blocked, the water in the northern area of ​​the town could not drain in time and overflowed into the shrimp farming area of ​​the people.

Soil and rocks still lie jagged in the middle of the Hoang Mai River at Hoang Mai 2 Bridge on the North-South Expressway. Photo: Tien Dong

Urgent again!

It is understood that since the beginning of the storm season, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town has been concerned about the congestion of the Hoang Mai River and Nha Le Canal. Most clearly, on August 11, 2022, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town issued Official Dispatch No. 1540/UBND-QLDT to Project Management Board 6 (Ministry of Transport); Traffic Project Management Board under the Department of Transport of Nghe An province, together with local authorities and related units. Here, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town clearly stated the reason for issuing Official Dispatch No. 1540/UBND-QLDT is to proactively respond to the developments of storms and floods; ensure flood drainage on the Hoang Mai River and Nha Le Canal.

On the morning of September 30, when the flood was at its peak, the service road across Nha Le canal was broken to drain the water. Photo: Tien Dong

To Project Management Board 6, Hoang Mai Town People's Committee proposed: "At the construction site of Hoang Mai 2 Bridge under the North-South Expressway Project: Direct construction units to clear the public bridge and auxiliary works within the Hoang Mai Riverbed to ensure flood drainage requirements, absolutely not allowing flooding or other negative impacts affecting production and daily life of residents in neighboring areas, to be completed no later than August 11, 2022. Direct construction units to organize inspections and guard duty during storms and floods, have drainage solutions along culverts, bridges, longitudinal ditches, and residential areas where the construction route passes through, ensuring safety for the people and taking full responsibility if there is a blockage of the flow, causing damage caused by construction.

However, as of the afternoon of October 17, according to our observations, the iron bridge with two sturdy piers was still standing in the middle of Nha Le canal. Photo: Tien Dong

As for the Nghe An Traffic Project Management Board: “At the location of the bridge over Nha Le canal and Hoang Mai river under the Coastal Road Project from Nghi Son (Thanh Hoa) to Cua Lo (Nghe An) through Hoang Mai town: Direct the construction units to urgently clear the flow blockage on Hoang Mai river, Nha Le canal, not to affect the drainage of flood on Hoang Mai river, Nha Le canal, production, people's lives, return the cross-section of the riverbed and canal to their original state, no later than August 11, 2022. Direct the construction units to organize inspections, guard duty during storms and floods, have drainage solutions along the culverts, bridges, longitudinal ditches, and residential areas where the construction route passes through, ensuring safety for the people and must take full responsibility if there is a flow blockage, causing damage caused by construction”.

On the morning of October 17, Vice Chairman of Hoang Mai Town People's Committee, Mr. Pham Van Hao, said that a recent inspection showed that Hoang Mai River had not been completely cleared by the construction units. "After directly inspecting, I determined that the flow of Hoang Mai River is still blocked. Therefore, the Town People's Committee continues to send documents to the management unit requesting to urge and handle the clearance..." - Mr. Pham Van Hao shared.

The flood in late September and early October caused severe damage to Hoang Mai town, with water entering many homes and forcing many households to evacuate. The question is who is responsible? (In the photo: People in Quynh Thien ward move their belongings at night). Photo: Tien Dong

Indeed, on October 14, 2022, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town issued another Official Dispatch No. 2070/UBND-QLDT to Project Management Board 6. The content is as follows: “On August 11, 2022, the People's Committee of the town issued Official Dispatch No. 1540/UBND-QLDT on preparing a response plan to tropical depressions. In which, the People's Committee of the town requested Project Management Board 6 to direct the construction unit to clear the service road within the Hoang Mai riverbed to ensure flood drainage requirements, proactively respond to the developments of storms and floods. However, through on-site inspection, the People's Committee of the town found that the construction unit had not completed the clearance as required, there was still a large part of the riverbed that had not been cleared. The delay in clearing the service road within the Hoang Mai riverbed would cause flooding or negatively impact the production and daily life of people on both sides and upstream of the Hoang Mai river when it rains, storm.

To ensure the safety of people's lives and property during the storm season, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town requests the Project Management Board to urgently direct the construction unit to complete the thorough clearance of the public road within the Hoang Mai riverbed, with the completion date before October 20, 2022.

Don't be indifferent!

According to the investigation, the People's Council of Hoang Mai town is also very concerned about the problem of congestion of the Hoang Mai River and Nha Le Canal. Since August 4, 2022, the People's Council of Hoang Mai town has been monitoring voters' opinions and recommendations at the 6th session on the drainage system in the town before the rainy season. Through the monitoring and inspection work, on August 15, 2022, the Standing Committee of the People's Council of the town issued Notice No. 54/TB-TTHĐND concluding on this content.

Image at the scene of the dirt road blocking the Hoang Mai River (photo taken on September 17). Photo: Document

In particular, the Town People's Council has very specific requirements to handle the congestion of the Hoang Mai River and Nha Le Canal. Specifically, it has requested the Town People's Committee to direct departments and offices to coordinate with investors to urge contractors to "immediately restore the original drainage status for the locations that have been built across the Hoang Mai River and Nha Le Canal to construct the bridge over the Hoang Mai River, part of the North-South Expressway Project; the bridge over the Hoang Mai River and the bridge over Nha Le Canal under the Coastal Road Project; the bridge over the Hoang Mai River under the Road No. 1 - Hoang Mai Urban Area Project". At the same time, it is emphasized: "Absolutely do not wait for storms to come to handle the situation, ensuring timely drainage when heavy rain occurs, combined with high tides and flood discharge from Vuc Mau Lake".

However, the proposals of the People's Council of Hoang Mai town have not been thoroughly and completely handled. Regarding the problem of the blockage of the flow of Hoang Mai river and Nha Le canal as mentioned above, Nghe An Newspaper has verified and reported immediately after the circulation of storm No. 4. Once again, it is affirmed that the blockage of the flow of Hoang Mai river and Nha Le canal up to now is due to the indifferent and irresponsible attitude of the contractors and related management agencies. According to regulations, causing blockage of the flow is an act of violating the law. Therefore, this act must be stopped immediately, returning the flow to Hoang Mai river and Nha Le canal!