Southern province to destroy 600ha of forest to build reservoir

The Ka Pét reservoir project, with a capacity exceeding 51 million cubic meters, received approval from the National Assembly (NA) in 2019.

The project carries a total investment of VNĐ874 billion (approximately US$36.4 million).

Its primary objectives include supplying water for agricultural purposes in Hàm Thuận Nam District, supporting production activities in the Hàm Kiệm No 2 Industrial Zone, and meeting the daily water needs of Hàm Thuận Nam District and Phan Thiết City.

Furthermore, the project is designed to serve flood prevention and control, environmental enhancement, and water regulation for the downstream areas of Hàm Thuận Nam District and Bình Thuận Province.

The reservoir will help bolster water availability during the dry season, particularly benefiting Phan Thiết City, thereby contributing to the development of tourism and service sectors in the province.

An overview of the planned project area. — Photo vtc.vn

The project plans to clear 619 hectares of natural forest in Mỹ Thạnh Commune, Hàm Thuận Nam District.

The reservoir will be situated approximately 2 kilometers behind the existing residential area of Mỹ Thạnh Commune.

Once the forest is cut down, the mature trees will be auctioned to logging units.

Local authorities are currently conducting bidding procedures to select a suitable consulting firm to evaluate the forest products for the auction.

The winning unit will expedite the logging process and transfer the land.

According to the Law on Forestry, Bình Thuận Province is required to replant over 1,844 hectares of forest in different locations to compensate for the lost forest area.

The law stipulates that the replacement forest must be three times the size of the natural forest that has been converted for other purposes.

The estimated total cost of planting replacement forests is approximately VNĐ177 billion ($7.3 million).

The forest that is about to be cut down has existed for a long time, closely intertwined with the lives of the ethnic Raglai group for hundreds of years.

Currently, the forest is under the management of the Núi Ông Nature Reserve Zone, the Sông Móng-Ka Pét Protective Forest Management Board, and the local community.

The project completed a survey, inventory, and assessment of the forest's status in December 2020 and updated the results in April of the following year.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) granted a license to the project for the exploitation and utilization of surface water on June 28 of this year.

Local authorities submitted the environmental impact assessment to MONRE last month, and it is expected to be approved later this month

Turn dry area into prosperity

The authorities of Bình Thuận Province have pointed out that Hàm Thuận Nam District is situated in an area characterised by abundant sunshine and strong winds. This region stands as the driest in the country, and its weather patterns are quite complex.

During the rainy season, it experiences floods, while in the dry season, water becomes scarce.

The irrigation infrastructure in the area can only provide approximately 26 percent of the required water for annual crops.

When considering agricultural production alone, this area faces a deficit of about 100 million cubic meters of water each year.

Therefore, the Ka Pét reservoir project has been designed to regulate water throughout the year, contributing to local socio-economic development.

The project is one of the priority investment projects under the Government's target programme to respond to climate change and promote green growth for the 2016-2020 period.

The project is also a part of the Southeast region's irrigation master plan for the period up to 2030, with further orientation to 2050 to address climate change and rising sea levels, managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

NA member Thái Thị An Chung, representing Nghệ An central province, told Tuổi trẻ (Youth) newspaper: 'Forests must be protected, but sometimes it is necessary to accept change for greater benefits. The project has been reviewed by competent committees, and delegates have paid close attention to the project during discussions leading to its approval.'

Chung emphasised that the Ka Pét reservoir project is extremely urgent for the residents of Hàm Thuận Nam District and, more broadly, for Bình Thuận Province.

During the approval process, the National Assembly meticulously considered the trade-off between forest preservation and implementing anti-drought measures for the benefit of the local population.