PM calls for measures to deal with drought, heat

HA NOI — Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked central provinces which have been hit severely by drought and heat to take drastic measures to negate the effects of drought and ensure the timely harvest of the summer-autumn crop.

Weather forecasting to be upgraded HA NOI — The Prime Minister has approved a VND1.3 trillion (US$73.2 million) project to modernise the hydrometeorology observation network and forecasting system for the 2010-12 period. The project is comprised of five smaller projects, including a VND342 billion ($17.9 million) plan to install 127 automatic meteorological stations in the north as well as rainfall measurement equipment at 25 gauging stations in the Red River and 412 others nationwide. Another sub-project will install four weather radar and two balloon probe stations at a cost of VND292 billion ($15.3 million) and a third project will equip meteorological stations with modern data transmission machines and database with an estimated budget of VND294 billion ($15.4 million). The fourth project, to cost VND151.8 billion ($7.9 million), aims to modernise the hydrometeorology forecasting system and the last will build a co-ordinating centre for the sector at a cost of VND262 billion ($13.7 million). Earlier, the Japanese Government pledged to help Vietnam improve the rain and flood forecast and warning system in the northern region with a programme worth JPY2 billion ($22 million). — VNS

Over the recent period, droughts and heat-waves have had a negative effect on agricultural production in the central provinces. It is likely that farmers will experience poor harvests as many hectares of already planted paddy rice have dried out while in some areas, many hectares have been left fallow due to water shortages.

In response, in an urgent dispatch sent to the province late last week, the Prime Minister asked chairmen of People's Committees from affected provinces to instruct local Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development and related authorities to continue ensuring water supplies to already planted paddy fields.

In areas where rice could not be planted, the authorities must instruct farmers to grow other less water-thirsty crops.

They must also have measures to provide enough water for people's livestock.

Localities were required to dredge canals and ditches; install more pumping stations; manage water resources more efficiently by preventing losses and leakages from reservoirs and irrigation works; and ensure that measures are in place to distribute water.

The Prime Minister also allowed provinces to use disaster prevention budgets and other legal financial sources on drought mitigation.

In cases where local budgets proved insufficient, provinces must send reports detailing severely hit areas; costings for the construction of pumping stations, estimates for necessary seedling purchases; and other costs to the Ministries of Finance, and Agriculture and Rural Development to ask for more financial support.

The Prime Minister also ordered Electricity of Viet Nam to ensure power supplies for irrigation and water works and co-operate with local authorities to release more water from hydro-power reservoirs to supply more provinces.

The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasts was requested to keep a close eye on weather and hydro-meteorological forecasts in order to issue continuous warnings of water shortages and data for hydro-power plants, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Electricity of Viet Nam, and local authorities and people so that they could actively take measures to combat the worst effects of the drought. — VNS