The National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment surveyed the Ban Mong Reservoir Project.

The delegation is led by Comrade Nguyen Ngoc Son - Member of the National Assembly, working full-time at the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment.

Attending the meeting were comrade Thai Thi An Chung - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Deputy Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation and related departments, branches and localities.

The Ban Mong Reservoir Project has headworks and reservoir beds spread across the districts of Nghia Dan, Quy Chau, Quy Hop, Nghe An province; and Nhu Xuan district, Thanh Hoa province, with a total investment of VND5,552 billion.

The project's goal is to provide irrigation water for 18,858 hectares of agricultural land along the Hieu River (4,551 hectares of self-flowing irrigation, the rest is powered by electricity); provide water for the Ca River in the dry season at about 22m3/s; combine power generation with irrigation with an installed capacity of 45MW; create a water source for industry, people and livestock; aquaculture and environmental improvement; combine to reduce part of the flood for the downstream of the Hieu River.

The project is divided into 4 components: The Headworks component is invested by the Irrigation Investment and Construction Management Board 4, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

The Compensation, Site Clearance, and Resettlement component is implemented in Nghe An and Thanh Hoa provinces. In Nghe An, the Department of Agriculture and Environment and the People's Committee of Quy Chau district are the investors.

The component of pumping stations taking water from Hieu River and the canal system and works on the canal is invested by the Department of Agriculture and Environment.

The Hydropower Plant component (in the form of BOO) is invested by the Agricultural and Irrigation Construction - Electromechanical Corporation.

Before working with relevant parties, the delegation conducted a survey on reforestation in Thanh Huong commune, Thanh Chuong district; and inspected the construction progress of the Slope 77 resettlement area in Chau Binh commune, Quy Chau district.

Accordingly, regarding the conversion of forest use to other purposes of the Ban Mong Reservoir Project, in Nghe An province, the total forest area approved by the National Assembly to convert to other purposes is 544.77 hectares; of which, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has issued a Decision to convert forest use to other purposes for 360.12 hectares of the reservoir; the remaining 184.65 hectares is in the process of implementation.

Regarding the replacement forestation work, the project investor has paid the full amount of more than 36 billion VND to replace the forest according to the Replacement Forestation Plan approved by the Provincial People's Committee.

Accordingly, the area that has been planted and accepted up to now is more than 330 hectares, reaching 41% of the area approved for changing the purpose of forest use to another purpose (805.27 hectares); reaching 62% of the area that has changed the purpose of forest use to another purpose (536.78 hectares).

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An province Thai Thi An Chung requested the Department of Agriculture and Environment to soon submit to the Provincial People's Committee to change the purpose of forest use to other purposes for the remaining areas.

Regarding compensation and site clearance, comrade Thai Thi An Chung requested the Department of Agriculture and Environment and related districts to focus, clearly define the work, and divide the implementation stages to complete on schedule.

Concluding the meeting, Comrade Nguyen Ngoc Son emphasized the importance of the consensus and cooperation of central and local ministries, branches to implement the project to meet the completion schedule by December 31, 2025, ensuring the set goals; at the same time effectively implementing the Resolution of the National Assembly.

On that basis, the Head of the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment survey delegation requested Nghe An province and related localities to pay attention to converting the purpose of forest use for the remaining area; at the same time, handle overlapping land in the area of ​​land clearance; and report to clarify the implementation process of Chau Binh drainage canal.

In addition, Nghe An province and related districts ensure resettlement and farming for households affected by the project; carry out land procedures to implement the project of the canal system and works on the canal.