HCMC urgently handles riverside, canal landslide spots

Standing deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem has prompted agencies and district authorities to tackle riverside and canal landslide, which has been complicated recently, to prevent accidents from occurring and affecting residents’ lives.
A landslide in Nha Be District (Photo: SGGP)
A landslide in Nha Be District (Photo: SGGP)
Mr. Liem required the Department of Transport to work with the city’s Steering Committee on Natural Resources Prevention, Search and Rescue, agencies and districts to survey areas highly prone to landslide and propose solutions to protect residents’ lives and properties.
Before August 15, they should conduct surveys at 40 landslide spots, address problems while implementing counter landslide projects and put forward solutions to speed up their progress.
In addition, Mr. Liem wanted them to suggest a scientific study plan to ensure the city’s proactivity in coping with landslide in following phases.
The Department of Transport should work with its Inland Waterway Management Division to review the progress, capital, implementation mechanism and site clearance of 22 projects which the agency is investor.
They should estimate reasons for behind schedule projects and report solutions to speed them up. At least three projects should be done this year, the remaining ones must be completed next year.
Districts assigned to invest in 15 projects should focus on speeding up construction to soon open them for service.
The city People’s Committee required the Department of Planning and Investment, the Department of Transport and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to study regulations to implement a project to handle a landslide spot in Hiep Phuoc commune, Nha Be district and other urgent works with a specific mechanism. These agencies should guide investors to implement projects in line with current regulations and report to the city committee within ten working days.
The Department of Finance should coordinate with the Department of Planning and Investment to arrange sufficient capital anti landslide projects by 2020 and advance VND10 billion (US$440,000) to deal with fortify the right bank of Giong canal – Kinh Lo river. Districts should step up compensation and site clearance work before January 1 next year for investors to build the project in 2018.
Relating to a recent landslide in Tom canal, Nhon Duc commune, Nha Be district, Inland Waterway Management Division director Tran Van Giau said that right after the accident, the division has fortified the landslide spot and filled the eddy in the canal to prevent erosion from expanding as per instruction by the city People’s Committee.
Still continuous heavy rains have highly swollen the canal. Mr. Giau worried that landslide will recur when floodwater recedes. The Transport Department has assigned the division to study a project to build embankments in the area.
While waiting for the project’s implementation, the division has proposed Nhon Duc commune and Nha Be district authorities to work with relevant agencies to remove local households and their properties to safety, fence up the landslide area to prevent residents and vehicles from travelling through and keep a close eye on the situation to have solutions in a timely manner.
Chairman of Nha Be district’s People’s Committee Nguyen Van Luu said that the district has assisted affected households with rent within three months and temporarily relocated five households.
Hiep Phuoc commune has removed three households to new accommodations and assisted each household with VND50 million ($2,199) to build houses. Nha Be district has also arranged a resettlement area for 270 households affected by landslide and climate change in Hiep Phuoc commune. It is expected that 50 households will receive land plots and build houses in September.

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