VietNamNet Bridge – Da Nang’s officials are getting impatient because they have not received any reply from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE) to the city’s opinions about the drafted reservoir operating process.

Da Nang City threatens to sue MONRE

Vu Gia River.

No news is bad news

Nearly one year has passed since the day the Da Nang authorities voiced their protest against the standard operating process of A Vuong, Dak Mi 4 and Song Tranh 2 reservoirs drafted by MONRE.

Da Nang’s people fear that if the reservoirs operate in accordance with the suggested process, Da Nang would be in danger because of the lack of water for people’s daily life and irrigation.

Huynh Van Thang, Director of the Da Nang City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development late last week confirmed that the department had not received any further information from MONRE about the reservoir operating process.

“We clearly showed our viewpoint about the operating process designed for A Vuong, Dak Mi 4 and Song Tranh 2 reservoirs, but we have not got any reply except the MONRE’s Water Resource Agency dated February 13, 2014, which said the process is lawful and that MONRE has considered the situation carefully before suggesting the process,” said Huynh Van Thang, Director of the agriculture department.

The silence kept by MONRE has worried Da Nang’s people.

“I am afraid that MORNE ignores our opinions. It would still submit to the Prime Minister the same reservoir operating process with no amendments,” Thang said, adding that his department had to send a document to the government office to show Da Nang’s viewpoint on the issue.

The agriculture department’s head feels so worried that he has urged the city’s people’s committee to lodge a complaint to the Prime Minister, and urged the city’s leaders to organize an open dialogue with the MONRE on the issue at a meeting with the participation of scientists.

“If the warning cannot be given and the draft regulation is approved, Da Nang would be in big distress because of the water shortage,” he said.

Billions of dong to be lost

Thang said the MONRE plans to set the water level in Ai Nghia town of Dai Loc district in Quang Nam province H = 2.53 meters, which means that the Vu Gia river will be always in the situation of depletion, thus badly affecting the lives of 1.7 million people in the northern part of Quang Nam province and the whole city of Da Nang.

Also according to Thang, the lack of water would lead to immeasurable consequences in agriculture production. The crop failure and the farmers’ loss may cause the social uncertainties. The damages to be caused by the unreasonable reservoir operating process would be even bigger than the benefits to be brought by the Dak Mi 4 hydropower plant.

In fact, the people on the lower course of the river have to temporarily set up a dam to fight against the salinity intrusion, because the old dam has been swept away. The work costs billions of dong every year.

Dat Viet