Workers build a concrete dyke in HCM City's Thu Duc District. Engineers propose building a new dyke around the city to prevent flooding during high tides. — VNA/VNS Photo Van Huan |
At a meeting held in the city on Tuesday to discuss solutions to the flooding problem faced by the city, the engineers proposed that the dyke, with 12 culverts, could be built at the cost of VND11 trillion (US$550 million). After construction, the dyke, together with other water sanitation projects, would prevent flooding in the city, they said.
However, other members of the association said there was no standard for building such a huge project. Dr. Le Phu said that besides natural factors such as rainfall and tides, poor management was also behind of the worsening flooding situation in the city.
Uncontrolled land encroachment near the city's waterways was a problem in the city, he said. The Government has regulated that the city should have a water surface of at least 17 per cent, while HCM City has less than 15 per cent, he said.
Echoing similar concerns, Dr. Pham Van Long warned that if the city does not focus on rectifying the poor management of projects, trillions of dong invested in irrigation or dyke projects will not help.
Pham The Vinh of the Southern Institute for Water Resources Research, said water transportation in the city would be obstructed if this dyke project was implemented. Beside transportation, environmental impacts need to be addressed before a decision is taken, he added. — VNS
No comments:
Post a Comment