Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has just signed Official Dispatch No. 04/CD-TTg dated January 15 on proactively responding to the risk of drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion.
The dispatch stated that due to the impact of climate change and the effects of the El Nino phenomenon, weather and natural disasters are becoming increasingly erratic. Currently, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta is tending to increase with the high tide.
According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, in the dry season of 2023 - 2024, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta will be higher than the average of many years, equivalent to 2020 - 2021. During the peak period (around February to April 2024), there may be a local shortage of fresh water, with saline intrusion deep into river mouths.
In the Central and Central Highlands regions, drought and local shortages of fresh water may also occur, affecting production and people's lives during the dry season.
To proactively respond to the risk of drought, local water shortages, and saltwater intrusion, the Prime Minister requested Ministers and Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to monitor and proactively deploy response work to the risk of drought, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion in the peak months of the upcoming dry season.
Organize the collection of information on water resources and the operation and regulation of hydropower reservoirs outside Vietnam to serve the work of forecasting water resources, the risk of water shortages in some large reservoirs in the North and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta (Photo: Huu Thang).
The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to closely monitor the impact of El Nino, weather developments, water resources, promptly provide information on the situation, short-term and long-term forecasts on hydrology, water resources, risks of drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion across the country, especially in the Mekong Delta and the Central and Central Highlands regions so that authorities, localities and people know and proactively implement measures to prevent and respond to the risks of drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion, resolutely not allowing passivity and surprise.
At the same time, collect information on water resources, operation and regulation of hydroelectric reservoirs outside Vietnam's territory, and water exploitation and use of countries upstream of transboundary rivers to serve the work of forecasting water resources, risks of water shortages in some large reservoirs in the North and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta.
The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to closely monitor developments and make specialized forecasts on water resources, water quality and risks of water shortages and saltwater intrusion to provide information to localities and people; proactively direct the implementation of work to prevent, combat and overcome the consequences of drought, water shortages and saltwater intrusion in accordance with actual developments at each time and each region; direct and guide localities to organize production to limit impacts on agricultural production, especially during peak periods when droughts and saltwater intrusion often occur.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinates with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant provincial People's Committees to direct the flexible and effective operation of irrigation and hydropower reservoirs and irrigation systems to exploit and use water resources effectively and optimally, ensuring water for both daily life and agricultural production and electricity generation, especially during peak hot weather.
In addition, the Prime Minister requested the Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, especially those in the Mekong Delta, the Central region and the Central Highlands, to closely monitor weather developments, hydrometeorological forecasts, droughts and saltwater intrusion.
Determine the level of impact on each locality to proactively deploy specific response measures according to the direction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and in accordance with the actual situation in the locality.
In particular, instructing people to use water economically and effectively, prioritizing ensuring domestic water supply for people, medical and educational facilities and other essential needs, resolutely not letting people lack domestic water .
Source
Comment (0)