The Mekong Delta should raise a louder voice to protect its waterresource, which is in risk of pollution due to hydropower development inmainstream Mekong River, experts said at a workshop in Can Thocity on August 8.
Participants expressed deep concern aboutthe building of dams for hydro power plants on stretches of Mekong rivertributaries by upstream countries such as China, Laos and Thailand, which they said seriously affected on downstream areas, particularlythe Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam.
Nguyen Quoc Viet,deputy head of the Steering Committee for the Southwestern Region, saidthe effects caused by upstream dams, plus adverse impacts of climatechange and rising sea level, will heighten the risk of salinityintrusion in the Mekong Delta, disrupting the local eco-system as wellas farming. He estimated that over 30 million local residents, mostlyfarmers, will find it harder to earn a living, food output dwindle whilemany endemic species will face extinction.
According toDirector of the Centre for Water Management and Climate Change Dao TrongTu, the dam construction has been going on without permission of theMekong River Commission (MRC). He urged scientists and affectedresidents to raise their voice to demand revision of socio-economicpolicies for sustainable development in the region.
MRC members should work closely together on this issue and deliver on their commitments, he said.
The Mekong Delta, the country’s largest rice granary, comprises 12provinces and one centrally-run city with a total area of 40,000 squarekilometres and a combined population of 18 million.
The region produces 52 percent of the national rice output and 90 percent of the total rice export.
It also provides 58 percent of the country’s total aquatic productsoutput and accounts for 60 percent of national aquatic export turnover.
In addition, around 70 percent of fruit supply in the country comes from Mekong Delta’s orchards.-VNA
Participants expressed deep concern aboutthe building of dams for hydro power plants on stretches of Mekong rivertributaries by upstream countries such as China, Laos and Thailand, which they said seriously affected on downstream areas, particularlythe Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam.
Nguyen Quoc Viet,deputy head of the Steering Committee for the Southwestern Region, saidthe effects caused by upstream dams, plus adverse impacts of climatechange and rising sea level, will heighten the risk of salinityintrusion in the Mekong Delta, disrupting the local eco-system as wellas farming. He estimated that over 30 million local residents, mostlyfarmers, will find it harder to earn a living, food output dwindle whilemany endemic species will face extinction.
According toDirector of the Centre for Water Management and Climate Change Dao TrongTu, the dam construction has been going on without permission of theMekong River Commission (MRC). He urged scientists and affectedresidents to raise their voice to demand revision of socio-economicpolicies for sustainable development in the region.
MRC members should work closely together on this issue and deliver on their commitments, he said.
The Mekong Delta, the country’s largest rice granary, comprises 12provinces and one centrally-run city with a total area of 40,000 squarekilometres and a combined population of 18 million.
The region produces 52 percent of the national rice output and 90 percent of the total rice export.
It also provides 58 percent of the country’s total aquatic productsoutput and accounts for 60 percent of national aquatic export turnover.
In addition, around 70 percent of fruit supply in the country comes from Mekong Delta’s orchards.-VNA
