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Water war in Danang spills over
Danang City authorities have raised their rhetoric in protesting against the Dak Mi 4 Hydropower project in the central region, and called for intervention from the central Government to avoid “a disaster of thirst”.
The central city in a recent document to the Prime Minister urged that the dispute over the water source upstream the Vu Gia River be settled now before the power project takes shape, otherwise 1.7 million people downstream will fall victim.
“The Prime Minister is requested to look into the dispute so that 1.7 million people downstream including Danang City, Hoi An City and several other districts of Quang Nam Province could avoid facing the disaster of thirst,” according to the document dated March 5 signed by Danang City Vice Chairman Vo Duy Khuong.
Danang authorities demand that water from the hydropower reservoir be discharged back into the Vu Gia River at some 47 cubic meters a second, while Idico as the project owner bluntly rejects that demand, offering only a small fraction of that water amount. The Ministry of Industry and Trade stands by the investor, saying Danang’s demand is unacceptable.
Idico is accused of directing the water source from the Vu Gia River into the Thu Bon River for power generation. Therefore, “when the Dak Mi 4 power plant starts operation, the water shortage downstream the Vu Gia River will be serious which could lead to an environmental disaster and social unrest,” Danang City clarifies in the document.
The city has submitted petitions to the Government, the agriculture ministry as well as the ministry of industry and trade seeking to put the project on hold while pending a solution.
During the course of conflict, the Ministry of Industry and Trade approved a plan by the investor to build a sluice gate at the hydropower dam to discharge between eight and 12.8 cubic meters a second. This sluice gate is a new component in the project that was not initially mentioned in the feasibility study.
However, Danang City says this volume is still too small to ensure normal livelihood of the people downstream, as this is just one-fifth of the water volume that the project investor takes from the river upstream.
The investor says it will bear huge damages if the demand of Danang is to be met.
Vo Tan Dung, Deputy Head of the Dak Mi 4 project management unit, told the Daily on Tuesday the project’s efficiency would be adversely affected if water is to be discharged back into the Vu Gia River at 45 to 47 cubic meters a second.
“Even the discharged volume of eight cubic meters a second as proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade will also reduce the output of the power plant,” he said.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade upholds its viewpoint over the case.
Do Duc Quan, Deputy Director of the Energy Department under the ministry, told the Daily on Tuesday that “the ministry’s viewpoint in this case still stands like what has been suggested to the Government.”
Citing a survey by the Irrigation Planning Institute of the agriculture ministry, Quan said the water flow on the river during the driest time is only eight to 12 cubic meters a second, so “Danang’s demand is unreasonable.”
Danang has played down damages to be borne by the investor in case higher water volume is to be discharged.
“Damages to the investor is minimal compared to the total damages cause to the livelihood, and socio-economic development of Danang City,” said the city’s vice chairman Vo Duy Khuong.
Construction on the 190-megawatt hydropower project is still under progress, but the river is to be blocked in March next year so that the power plant can be commissioned in June 2011 as scheduled.
VietNamNet, SGT
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