Hundred billion VND water reservoir in Lam Dong: Promise of irrigation, reality of landslides and desolation

Dong Thanh reservoir project started construction in 2022 in Nam Ban Lam Ha commune, Lam Dong with an area of over 48 hectares. The project is invested by the People's Committee of Lam Ha district (old) of Lam Dong province. According to the plan, this project will be completed and put into use in 2024, providing irrigation water for 700 hectares of cultivated land, creating a source of domestic water for 7,500 households. However, up to now, the project has been eroded, damaged, and seriously degraded.

After 3 years of construction, Dong Thanh Reservoir is still in disarray and messy due to a landslide in 2023.

During the project implementation process, the hill area on the right shoulder of the dam, located outside and close to the spillway area, experienced a situation. subsidence land, causing cracks and tilting of houses of some households.

Subsidence also seriously affected Package No. 13. After that, Lam Dong Provincial Inspectorate also conducted a comprehensive inspection of the Dong Thanh reservoir project.

Up to now, the Dong Thanh reservoir area has temporarily stopped construction, many items are degraded, abandoned, and grass and trees grow wildly everywhere.

Meanwhile, affected people are still struggling to hold on to the remaining land after the landslide to earn an income even though landslides can happen at any time.

A resident's house was completely destroyed by a landslide during construction of the project.

The family of Mr. and Mrs. Do Van Dam and Doan Thi Nhu said that after being compensated, the family had 0.7 hectares of land left to grow coffee. However, after the landslide, planting and caring for the crops was very difficult. The garden of their house is located precariously on a hill with exposed cracks running from top to bottom. However, the family cannot move elsewhere because there is no resettlement land.

Underneath the building, the ground was cracked and had many gullies.

Sections of the ditch collapsed and were severely damaged.

It is unimaginable that these concrete blocks could fall over so easily.

The concrete layers are cracked, leaving the iron frames exposed to the sun and rain for the past 2 years.

The house built by Mr. Nguyen Van Thang with a budget of more than 3 billion VND has seriously deteriorated and has been abandoned since the landslide. Mr. Thang's neighbors said that due to the landslide, his family had to move to another place, so thieves kept "visiting".

The house was still very new but was cracked and badly damaged, making Mr. Thang extremely regretful.

Mr. Do Van Tai (living in the Dong Thanh reservoir area) said: "Since the landslide, the construction of the reservoir has stopped, causing my garden to be affected. We have to rely on rainwater and well water stored in large ponds for irrigation. The water source for irrigation and daily activities is very limited, especially in the dry season."

The leader of Nam Ban Lam Ha commune (Lam Dong province) said that in the past time, the local authorities have urgently carried out procedures to ensure the construction progress of Dong Thanh reservoir as well as to solve water problems for the people. However, the implementation process has encountered difficulties and obstacles due to landslides. Currently, the locality is implementing to issue land use right certificates for resettlement to people according to plan. Accordingly, there are 22 households that are eligible for resettlement land, and it is expected that in August 2025, the locality will completely resolve the issue.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/ho-chua-nuoc-tram-ty-o-lam-dong-hua-hen-tuoi-tieu-thuc-te-sat-lo-tieu-dieu-5056671.html