Gov’t reports on progress of Ka Pét Reservoir project

Your browser does not support the audio element. The reforestation plan was ahead of the previous plan presented to the National Assembly. The initial plan was divided into three phases and planned to be completed in  二0 二 六. The total investment for reforestation in the project was expected to be over VNĐ 一 七 六. 八 billion. Bình Thuận Province's People's Co妹妹ittee has organised a field trip for experts, environmentalists and officials to the location of the Ka Pét Reservoir construction project in southern Bình Thuận Province. VNA/VNS Photo

BÌNH THUẬN — The Government has submitted a report to the National Assembly on the progress of the Ka Pét Reservoir project in southern Bình Thuận Province, in which the reforestation plan will be accelerated by one year compared to the initial plan.

This project has recently garnered significant public attention. The Ka Pét Reservoir project was approved for investment in Resolution No.  九 三 issued on  二 六 November  二0 一 九, and the investment plan was adjusted in Resolution No.  一0 一 last June.

The Ka Pét Reservoir, with a designed capacity of over  五 一 million cubic metres, aims to provide irrigation water for agricultural production, supply raw water for industrial zones and the daily needs of residents, flood control, environmental improvement, and water regulation for the low areas of Hàm Thuận Nam District and the whole province as well.

As planned, the project will cover a total of over  六 九 七 hectares, including over  六 七 九 hectares of forest land and  一 八 hectares of agricultural land. The required total reforestation area will be  一, 八 四 四 hectares.

The total investment amount is expected to reach more than VNĐ 八 七 四 trillion (US$ 三 五. 七 billion), with a Government budget of VNĐ 五 一 九. 九 trillion ($ 二 一. 二 billion) and a local budget of VNĐ 三 五 四. 一 trillion ($ 一 四. 四 billion). The project will be implemented from  二0 一 九 to  二0 二 五.

In the report signed by Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyễn Chí Dũng on behalf of the Prime Minister, the inventory and assessment of the current forest status had been completed and approved by relevant departments and agencies in Bình Thuận Province.

Regarding the reforestation plan, the People's Co妹妹ittee of Bình Thuận Province instructed the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to review the entire  一, 八 四 四 hectares of reforestation required for the project and ensure native species such as black star trees and star oil plants are planted in the reforestation area.

The report stated that currently, forest management units in the province were conducting surveys and reviewing forest land that meets the reforestation criteria to submit to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for approval as the basis for implementing reforestation.

This was to ensure completion in sync with the Ka Pét Reservoir project by the end of  二0 二 五, it stated.

The reforestation plan was ahead of the previous plan presented to the National Assembly. The initial plan was divided into three phases and was planned to be completed in  二0 二 六. The total investment for reforestation in the project was expected to be over VNĐ 一 七 六. 八 billion ($ 七. 二 million).

Regarding the environmental impact assessment report, Minister Dũng stated that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment had not yet received the environmental impact assessment report for the project. The ministry would carefully review and evaluate the measures to mitigate adverse environmental impacts during the review and approval of the project's environmental impact assessment report.

According to the report from the People's Co妹妹ittee of Bình Thuận Province, the consulting unit responsible for the environmental impact assessment report currently lacks the capacity to implement the dam break response model and assess the project's biodiversity as required by regulations.

Therefore, the project’s management board for agriculture and rural development infrastructure in Bình Thuận Province has worked with the contractor to reach a consensus on terminating the contract. Based on this, it will seek the authority's approval to select a capable contractor to complete the environmental impact assessment report for the Ka Pét Reservoir project.

Dũng also said that the provincial People’s Co妹妹ittee had submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development the project’s feasibility study report and was finalising the report as per the ministry’s requirements.

The report also highlighted two challenges the Ka Pét Reservoir project is currently facing.

Bình Thuận Province completed the environmental impact assessment report in September  二0 二0. However, due to the project's adjustment in investment direction presented to the National Assembly in June of this year, a new environmental impact assessment report must be prepared.

This report must include additional documentation on the dam break response model and biodiversity assessment. This process would affect the timeline for approving the environmental impact assessment report and the decision-making process for investing in the project, he said.

Another challenge came from conflicting information regarding the use of hundreds of hectares of forest for the water reservoir. On September  六, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a meeting to address issues on the reservoir and organised a field trip for experts, environmentalists, and officials to the location of the Ka Pét Water Reservoir project. — VNS