Dr. Nguyen Van Phuoc, Head of the Institute of Natural Resources and Environment said, the institute would be truthful in its report on the environmental effects of two controversial hydropower dam projects on the Dong Nai River.
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| Dr. Nguyen Van Phuoc |
Dr. Nguyen Van Phuoc, Head of the Institute of Natural Resources and Environment said, the institute would be truthful in its report on the environmental effects of two controversial hydropower dam projects on the Dong Nai River.
“We will make a comprehensive report about the impacts these two hydropower projects may have on the environment,” Phuoc told about the report he and his colleagues were preparing for its customer, Duc Long Gia Lai Group, the investor of the Dong Nai 6 and Dong Nai 6A projects.
As reported earlier, these two projects, which will cover 372.2 hectares of 4 downstream provinces of Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc, Lam Dong, and Dong Nai, have been facing criticisms from many scientists who claimed that they would damage the environment.
Phuoc said another report that had been made by the Southern Irrigation Planning Institute for the two projects had received both positive and negative feedback.
“That’s why the investor has asked us to prepare another report that is clearer and more detailed,” Phuoc said.
Below is an excerpt of Phuoc’s interview with Tuoi Tre.
What will you do to make your report better than the report of the Southern Irrigation Planning Institute?
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| Scientists and researchers on a field trip to an area in Cat Tien National Park, where two hydro projects are planned to be built. |
After looking into the counter-arguments of a number of critics of the projects, we will focus on several major issues.
We will assess how the projects will affect the sharing and use of the water resources from the Dong Nai River.
We will also clarify how much the area of forest in the Cat Tien National Park will be lost to the projects.
According to the investor’s figures, the projects will use 154 hectares of forest, or 0.5% of the total forest area of the park. We will then determine whether such a loss of forest will violate the criteria of a national park like Cat Tien.
To protect biological diversity, we will determine the types of forest of the areas where the dams will be located and the species of animals and plants that need to be protected in those forests and how to protect them.
In respect to the life of residents in the areas where the projects will be built, we will propose practical solutions for them, including the people who are living on fishing on the river sections that will be affected by the dams.
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| A herd of gayals in Cat Tien National Park, 150 km north of HCM City |
How about the collection of public opinions in the areas that will be affected by the projects?
We will conduct inquiries through questionnaires to know whether local people and authorities agree to the projects, determine how many households may be affected by the projects, and whether these households are satisfied with the investor’s solutions to mitigate the projects’ impacts.
Will your institute make a new report or simply modify the report of the Southern Irrigation Planning Institute?
We will prepare a new one based on the contents I have said. Our report will also include the conclusion of whether the projects will affect the UNESCO’s recognition of the Cat Tien National Park as a world natural heritage.
How can you assure that your report will be objective while the projects’ investor pays your institute to conduct the report?
Our Institute is an affiliate of the HCMC National University – a State-owned school. We won’t take side with the State or the public or the investor but will protect the truth.
Do you mean that if your institute, based on its assessment, determines that the two projects are harmful to the environment, your institute will propose the government to stop them?
Yes, of course.
(Source: TTNews)
