Dong Trai irrigation dam in Phu Luong commune is on the list of medium-sized reservoir works in Tuyen Quang. The dam has a capacity of 140,000m3, serving irrigation for 92.30 hectares. The project has a construction cost of nearly 15 billion VND, invested by the Management Board of the Tuyen Quang Agriculture and Rural Development Project Management Board, and is supervised by 27-7 Company Limited.
It was once expected to solve the drought problem, but now the irrigation dam has caused many consequences for people, water shortage, and loss of timber transportation trails. Not to mention, the quality of the project also raises a big question mark.
Worry about losing a livelihood
Mr. To Van Hanh (head of Phu Nhieu village, Phu Luong commune) said that Dong Trai irrigation dam was built from mid-2021, completed and put into use in mid-2022. The dam has no water flowing in, "like a prison lake".
"In the village, there are about 6 hectares of crops without irrigation pipes connecting to the dam. If it does not rain, it will be dry, there will be no water for production, and many difficulties will be encountered. People also reported a lot to me. I also petitioned the authorities," said Mr. Hanh.
According to Mr. Hanh, near the Dong Trai irrigation dam area, there are about 80 households growing eucalyptus on forestry land. Before the dam was built, raw materials were still transported along the trail. When the dam rises, the road is lost, making it difficult to exploit and transport wood.
"My family has about 1.8 hectares of eucalyptus wood, recently sold for only 70 million VND. In fact, they had to sell it for 130 to 140 million VND, there was no transportation route so the price was forced. Now, if we want to exploit wood, we have to wait until November or December, when the lake water is low. At this time, high water cannot be exploited," Mr. Hanh said indignantly.
Similarly, Ms. Hoang Thi Bang (Phu Luong commune) said that her family has about 5 sao of rice fields in kem Su. When the irrigation dam came into operation, people had high hopes for stable irrigation water.
However, the family's fields were not equipped with water pipes. The fields can only be cultivated in 1 or 2 crops during the rainy season, and are left unused due to lack of irrigation water.
question mark of project quality
Not only affecting people's livelihoods, Dong Trai irrigation dam also leaves concerns about the quality of the project.
Phu Nhieu village head To Van Hanh said: "Around last May, some people stood avoiding the sun under the bridge section over the spillway of the dam and discovered that this item was peeling and remove individual pieces."
The concrete section of the bridge's base is peeling off, exposing both iron and steel. Just a slight remove will cause the patch to peel off, lacking cohesion. It has only been in use for 2 years but is damaged and degraded.
According to Mr. Hanh, after receiving feedback, the investor took the dam off and rebuilt the spillway, to be completed from July 7. However, the remaining items of the spillway still make people worried. If the quality of the dam body is the same as the overflow bridge area, it is very dangerous. If the quality is poor and broken, it will greatly affect downstream.
"People hope that the authorities will check the quality of the project. Do not overcome sticky rice with beans. At the same time, rebuild the belt road to facilitate timber transportation, add pipes to lead water to the fields," said Mr. Hanh.
On July 15, speaking with a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Duong Anh Chung - Chairman of Phu Luong Commune People's Committee - said that the project is invested by the Management Board of the DTXD Project of Agricultural and Rural Development Projects. When building the unit, there will also be careful calculations and consultations with all parties.
"The locality has also grasped the information, directly inspected and reported to superiors to have a solution to resolve the people's legitimate aspirations," the leader added.
Regarding the quality of the project, a leader of the Management Board of the project of real estate projects of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tuyen Quang said that the project contractor is 27/7 Company Limited. The project has been completed and handed over for use for 2 years, and the warranty period has now expired. Regarding the peeling overflow bridge location, the unit has requested the company to handle and repair it. The budget is made by the contractor himself.
