Ben Tre province Department of Agriculture regularly measures saltwater to encourage people to pump and irrigate appropriately
Accordingly, the situation of saltwater intrusion on the main rivers in Ben Tre province is very complicated, with sudden and deep level of saltwater intrusion. At present, saltwater intrusion in major rivers is equivalent to the severe saltwater intrusion in the 2015 – 2016 dry season. Saltwater intrusion is forecast to rise and enter deeper in January 2020; saltwater of 4 parts per thousand is likely to penetrate about 53-68 km from the river mouths, saltwater of 1 part per thousand almost covers the whole province of Ben Tre.
In order to implement the emergency situation, the People's Committee of Ben Tre province requests departments and localities to strictly implement the guidance of Deputy Prime Minister – Mr. Trinh Dinh Dung at the Conference on Prevention of Drought and Saltwater intrusion, ensuring agricultural production and people’s lives in the Mekong Delta region in the 2019-2020 dry season on 3rd January 2020.
Saltwater intrusion response plan must be organized and implemented immediately under the second scenario (second-level disaster risk), and no households should lack water for domestic use due to saltwater intrusion. In addition, all resources are to be mobilized to support the saltwater intrusion response plan under the authority. In particular, special attention should be paid to mobilizing vehicles such as tank trucks, barges, boats and other specialized means to transport water to support hospitals, industrial parks, schools, restaurants and hotel, etc. At the same time, temporary works must be deployed immediately to prevent saltwater intrusion, increase fresh water storage for daily-life and production activities such as dredging canals, building emporary dams, managing transportation activities and irrigation works.
People in Tan Phu commune (Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province) use fresh water storage “bags” to store water for production and living.
In particular, deploying urgent solutions to create fresh water to provide for the plants of Ben Tre Water Supply and Sewerage Joint Stock Company must be focused on to ensure the daily-life and production needs of people and businesses in the activity scope of the company, as well as provide additional water supply to localities when needed.
Ben Tre People's Committee also assigns tasks to the Chairmen of People's Committees of districts and cities, communes, wards and towns within their authority, who are responsible for mobilizing forces, materials, transportations, equipment and supplies and essentials prepared according to the “four on-the-spot” motto to respond to local saltwater intrusion as prescribed.
Management Board of Investment Projects on Construction of Agricultural and Rural Development Works, Ben Tre Irrigation Works Exploitation Limited Company are to urgently complete investment procedures for projects and constructions; coordinate with relevant specialized departments to implement the emergency investment process for projects and constructions as prescribed.
