Mr. Pham Phuoc (2nd from left) is the person who has always been attached to the great project Nam Thach Han - Photo: TL
“After the South was completely liberated and Binh Tri Thien province was established, the Party and the State paid great attention to the issue of economic development, overcoming the consequences of war in the Central region, and prioritizing agricultural development to ensure food security for the people. At that time, I was assigned to work at the Irrigation Works Design Board of Binh Tri Thien province.
It was this position that created a relationship that linked me to the Nam Thach Han irrigation project, the first, largest, and most important irrigation project of the Ministry of Irrigation and Binh Tri Thien province in the South, which began construction on March 8, 1977. And it was also from the Nam Thach Han irrigation project that Quang Tri province became my second hometown," Mr. Pham Phuoc began his story, starting his journey to revisit his "hometown" Quang Tri.
At the age of 80, which is “rare”, he still nimbly walked around the rice granary of the two districts of Trieu Phong and Hai Lang (old); his pants rolled up above his knees, sandals in hand, wading through the fields with farmers who were harvesting winter-spring rice. He happily “showed off” to the farmers: “I am Pham Phuoc, from Quang Binh . In the past, I participated in the construction of the Nam Thach Han irrigation dam”. Hearing the name Pham Phuoc, many people exclaimed: “Mr. Phuoc is considered the general engineer of the Nam Thach Han construction site... right?”. He smiled heartily, moved: “Yes, yes... even now, people still remember!”.
“Every revolution has its difficulties and advantages. The merger of Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces into the new Quang Tri province is no exception. However, if the entire Party and the entire people of the two provinces agree and put the common development interests above all else, success will come. I personally have learned that lesson through many positions; through the practical experience of building the great project Nam Thach Han,” Mr. Pham Phuoc shared. |
An old farmer came to Mr. Pham Phuoc, shook his hand and said: "I am Nguyen Huu Hoat, I wonder if the chief still remembers... the soldier at Nam Thach Han construction site!" Through each story of building Thach Han lake, they recognized each other. Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoat (born in 1948) from Trieu Long commune, Trieu Phong district (old), a former civil servant of the old regime, after liberation was mobilized by the revolutionary government to join the construction site as a Company Commander, belonging to the Trieu Hai Irrigation Division.
From Mr. Hoat's introduction, Mr. Pham Phuoc met many of his teammates and comrades such as Mr. Ngo Mon (born in 1955), a champion of carrying soil at the Nam Thach Han construction site; Ms. Ngo Thi Bich (born in 1958), who joined the large construction site at the age of 19, was injured while digging soil at the main canal N2 through Long Hung village, Hai Phu commune (former Hai Lang)...
“Participating in the construction of the great project Nam Thach Han, the largest number of troops at that time was about 73,000 people, mobilizing the entire Binh Tri Thien province. Each district organized into a division named after its own locality: Tuyen Hoa, Quang Trach, Bo Trach, Dong Hoi, Le Ninh, Ben Hai, Dong Ha, Trieu Hai, Huong Dien, Phu Loc, Nam Dong, Hue City... But the ones who contributed the most were still Quang Binh and Quang Tri. The people of Trieu Phong and Hai Lang always remember the people of Quang Binh and remember Uncle Pham Phuoc,” Mr. Hoat recalled.
The Nam Thach Han Grand Project seen from above - Photo: NTL
At noon in a farmer's family in Trieu Phong district, Mr. Pham Phuoc decided to stay and have lunch with them. The simple farmer's meal included white rice, braised snakehead fish, a bowl of sour soup, a plate of sweet potato leaves with fish sauce... he ate, feeling delicious, warm and affectionate. He told them: "I feel like I'm back home, back to my homeland!"
I asked Mr. Pham Phuoc about the things that remained after visiting his second hometown Quang Tri. He answered briefly: "Emotions!".
Then he explained: “The feelings of affection between the two lands have many historical similarities; they are attached, share the same joys and sorrows, and share the sweet and bitter in the two resistance wars against the French and the Americans to save the country.
The feelings about the consistent affection of the people of Quang Tri for myself and the people of Quang Binh who once "shared the fire" to create the great project of Nam Thach Han, bringing "full meals and warm clothes" to the people of Quang Tri still retain their value of use until now and in the future. Loyalty, wholeheartedness, solidarity... will certainly be the "true values" that create strength on the path of integration and development when the two provinces become one.
But we should not think about the pros and cons of "your province", "my province" because of emotions, but need to identify it as "our province", thereby creating a unified entity in perception and action; in leadership and direction; in applying and exploiting existing potentials and strengths... From there, it will help Quang Tri province to soon break through, forming a new growth pole in the North Central region as directed by General Secretary To Lam".
Ngo Thanh Long
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/nguoi-cua-hai-que-194706.htm
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