Vietnam Public Concerned about Water Route, Power Plants on Red River

Vietnamese scientists and the public have raised their deep concerns about a proposed megaproject on the Red River which flows through nearly ten northern provinces, saying the project may have potential negative environmental impacts on the river and nearby areas. The developer, Xuan Thien Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Vietnam’s Thai Group, has had its $1.1 billion project backed by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and recently submitted to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc for consideration. Red River, earning the name from its heavily silt-laden, reddish-brown water, flows through northern provinces of Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Hanoi, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen, Ha Nam, Thai Binh, and Nam Dinh. The river and its numerous tributaries spread out to form the Red River Delta, which flows past the Vietnamese capital before emptying into the Gulf of Tonkin. The delta encompasses a major agricultural area of Vietnam with vast area devoted to rice, and is also known for its violent floods and seasonal fluctuations in volume. There are presently two water routes on the river, the Hai Phong – Viet Tri and Hanoi – Lach Giang. Viet Tri is the capital of Phu Tho, whereas Lach Giang is the watergate in Nam Dinh. The developer wants to combine these two routes into one, connecting Hanoi to neighboring provinces through water transportation. The proposed project will require dredging a 288 km stretch of the river, building six dams and docks to increase water levels allowing major vessels passage, and setting up six hydropower plants at each of the dams. The power facilities are expected to supply one billion kWh of electricity per year in total, according to the developer. Scientists and experts said building dams and increasing water levels on the river will affect the lives of 20 millions of people living along the waterway, as well as the delta’s delicate ecosystem, considered the granary of northern Vietnam. Former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Hung Vo said Vietnam has no urgent need to improve the water route connecting Hanoi, Lao Cai province, and Haiphong. The hydropower plants idea sounded attractive, but was not of any practical use because of the insufficient water levels in the Red River, even if a deeper channel was built it would probably benefit China’s Yunnan Province more than Vietnam, he said. In addition, they will have to deal with complicated ground clearance work and the people will face troublesome resettlement issues. The environment would undoubtedly be affected, Mr. Vo said. Mr. To Van Truong said the project is beneficial for the developer but will have severe consequences for the country, especially the Red River Delta, the second largest rice granary in Vietnam. If the project is completed, China will dictate the transport of the water route linking the two countries. The project will seriously affect the environment, ecology, history, culture, water and food security in the northern region, scientists said. The Mekong Delta and the Central Highlands have suffered severe drought and salinization as the result of El Nino and dozens of hydropower plants of Laos and China in the upper part of the Mekong River, and the numerous Vietnamese hydropower projects in the Central Highlands so Vietnam must protect the Red River and its delta, experts said. Many developed countries have recovered the origin of their rivers, destroying numerous dikes along them, said experts. (VietnamNet May 8, Tuoi Tre May 8)