The People's Committee of Binh Thuan Province has announced that the environmental impact assessment report for the Ka Pet Water Reservoir project must supplement additional documentation that includes the dam breach contingency plan and a biodiversity assessment. This is necessary due to the project's impact on the forest within the conservation area.
In comparison to the plan presented to the National Assembly in the previous session, the reforestation timeline has been advanced by one year, ensuring that it will be completed concurrently with the Ka Pet Water Reservoir project.
The Government has recently presented a report to the National Assembly on the status of the Ka Pet Water Reservoir project in Binh Thuan Province. This project has attracted considerable public interest due to the necessity of altering the land use purpose for a substantial forested area.
Specifically, as outlined in the project (endorsed by the National Assembly's investment decisions in Resolution No.93/2019/QH14 and subsequent adjustments in Resolution No.101/2023/QH15), the Ka Pet Water Reservoir boasts a total capacity of 51.21 million cubic meters. This reservoir serves multiple purposes, including providing irrigation water for agricultural production, supplying raw water to industrial zones and residential areas, and playing a crucial role in flood control, environmental enhancement, and water regulation in the lower Ham Thuan Nam region and Binh Thuan Province.
The project encompasses a total land area of 697.73 hectares with a comprehensive investment of VND874.1 billion. Funding includes nearly VND520 billion from the Central government's budget and over VND354 billion from the local budget. The project is slated for implementation from 2019 to 2025. At present, the forest's current status inventory and assessment have been successfully concluded and ratified by the relevant departments and agencies within Binh Thuan Province.
Regarding reforestation, the People's Committee of Binh Thuan Province has directed the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to conduct a detailed review for each site, ensuring that the total reforested area of 1,844.54 hectares mandated by the project is achieved. These replacement forests must be grown with indigenous tree species like Dipterocarpus alatus and Hopea odorata. The reforestation initiative is anticipated to be finalized in tandem with the completion of the Ka Pet Water Reservoir project by the end of 2025.
Consequently, in comparison to the reforestation plan previously submitted to the National Assembly, the timeline has been advanced by one year. The earlier proposal outlined three phases: Phase 1 involves planting 200 hectares, Phase 2 covers 134.22 hectares, and Phase 3 encompasses 100 hectares, with a projected completion date in 2026. The overall investment for the reforestation in the project amounts to approximately VND177 billion.
However, up to this point, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has not received the environmental impact assessment report for the project. The Ministry asserts that it will carefully and thoroughly review and assess the mitigation measures for environmental impact during the evaluation and approval of the environmental impact assessment report.
Notably, as reported by the People's Committee of Binh Thuan Province, the project's environmental impact assessment report requires additional documentation that includes the dam breach contingency plan and a biodiversity assessment. This necessity arises from the project's impact on the forest within the conservation area, and it is in line with Government Decree No.08/2022/ND-CP dated January 10, 2022, which stipulates detailed regulations on some aspects of the Law on Environmental Protection.
