Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep: 'It is not after every landslide that the embankment is built'

The Mekong Delta proposes support of approximately VND 10,000 billion

At the conference "Assessment of riverbank and coastal landslide level in five Mekong Delta provinces ", including Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, and Hau Giang, taking place on August 17, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep said that the current situation of riverbank and coastal landslides in the Mekong Delta is increasing in spot number, speed, and scope.

Since 2016, in the provinces and cities in the region, 779 landslide spots have appeared with a total length of 1,134km. Of which, 281 landslide spots with a length of 528km are especially dangerous and require construction works to protect them. The funds to invest in remedial works amounted to hundreds of billions of dongs, exceeding the capacity of localities because the reserve capital had been used up to overcome urgent landslides.

According to a representative of the Department for Agricultural Economy, Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), by March 2023, the Mekong Delta provinces have proposed that the Ministry submit to the Prime Minister for consideration the investment budget for landslide prevention, control, and overcoming of about VND 9,700 billion.

Agree on proposals to invest in 8 projects in 5 provinces

From August 15–17, the Government's delegation inspected and assessed the landslide level in 11 areas of 5 localities. These are areas with complicated landslide developments, causing very serious damage to people's lives and socio-economic infrastructure.

Through a survey to assess the situation and severity, members of the delegation agreed on the proposal to invest in landslide prevention and control projects in eight areas. Of which, there are areas where the delegation proposed to reduce the length of the landslide section that needs to be handled. For the remaining projects, the delegation found them not really urgent or for which the capital was not suitable, so the delegation proposed that the locality arrange other sources of capital.

In Hau Giang province, the delegation agreed on the proposal to invest in the work to overcome Lai Hieu River bank landslides (Nga Bay City) with a length of about 250m. In Tra Vinh, the delegation agreed on the MPI's proposal to allocate capital to build embankments against coastal landslides in the Truong Long Hoa area and Hiep Thanh commune (Duyen Hai town).

In Ben Tre, the delegation agreed on the proposal to allocate funds for the project to prevent Ba Tri coastal erosion and landslides, but it is recommended to focus on the first and last parts of the handled section to reduce the length of the handling. The delegation also agreed to urgently handle the landslide section of the Giao Hoa River (about 700m long). The investment capital is transferred from the reduction in the length of the Ba Tri coastal landslide handling.

In Tien Giang, the delegation agreed on the proposal of the province to urgently handle the Go Cong coastal landslide (section from Rach Muon Bridge to Den Do). In recent years, this area has been regularly eroded, causing the serious degradation of mangrove forests.

In Long An province, the delegation agreed on the proposal to urgently handle the Can Gioc River bank landslide section in Phuoc Lai commune (Can Giuoc district). In June 2023, a serious landslide occurred in this area, collapsing many houses on a length of 300m and half of the provincial road 826C with a length of about 70m. However, the delegation proposed to reduce the length that needs to be handled and transfer capital to invest in treating and protecting Ca Ro Canal banks that are about 200m long, connecting with two embankment sections that have been treated to close the route, and at the same time protecting the Vam Co Tay Riverbank work.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep said that handling landslides in the Mekong Delta needs a comprehensive plan and long-term investment. Do not invest in the way that wherever there is a landslide, there is an embankment. There are landslide sections that we recommend the locality not dike, but need to relocate people to another place before embankment. There are landslide sections waiting for stability before embankment. It is not after every landslide that the embankment is built. It is necessary to find out the cause of each landslide spot and have a project to stabilize the population.

According to Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep, through proposals of MPI together with localities, the Prime Minister is expected to spend the budget of about VND 4,000 billion for the work of landslide prevention and control in the Mekong Delta from budget revenue increases.

However, the Government has agreed that the central reserve budget will be spent on investing in landslide prevention and control. However, the reserve capital is only spent on urgent and serious landslide prevention and control works. And the Central only spends when the locality’s budget reserve does not meet demand. In addition, the implementation time must be encapsulated in the short term—one year. Therefore, the structures invested this time must have approved projects available.

In addition, the Deputy Minister also said that he would report to the Prime Minister and suggest using various budget sources to invest in landslide prevention and control projects because there are structures that need long-term investment, so other sources need to be used.