Farmers worry about water shortages and lightning strikes because of... the highway.

Báo Bình Thuận•04/07/2023

Dragon fruit farmers along the Phan Thiet – Vinh Hao – Dau Giay expressway, specifically the section passing through Ham Kiem commune, Ham Thuan Nam district, are facing numerous concerns due to the expressway construction, including issues with water supply and lightning during the rainy season.

Farmers are worried about water for irrigating dragon fruit.

The North-South Expressway through Binh Thuan province in general, and the section through Phan Thiet - Vinh Hao in particular, has brought clear economic and social benefits to Binh Thuan – known as the "kingdom" of dragon fruit. However, it has also left concerns for a segment of farmers whose land is cultivated along the expressway, regarding access roads, electricity, water for production, and irrigation canals. These concerns have been addressed by relevant authorities, and while the people are reassured, they remain uneasy. Among them are farmers in Dan Binh village, Ham Kiem commune, Ham Thuan Nam district, who fear thunderstorms during heavy rains and prolonged droughts leading to water shortages for dragon fruit production.

A farmer holds a grounding wire to an exposed power pole.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vinh, representing many households cultivating dozens of hectares of dragon fruit in the Ngoc Han dragon fruit farm area of Dan Binh village, shared his frustration: "I represent many households and ask the Binh Thuan Newspaper to inform the relevant authorities. When the plan to build the expressway was announced, we were very happy because it would create momentum for the development of the country in general and Binh Thuan in particular. Therefore, we unanimously handed over our land for the road construction. However, when the expressway was implemented and is now completed and operational, the lives of the people have been disrupted, with many worries. Especially during the dry season or prolonged hot days, the water supply for irrigating the dragon fruit orchards is difficult because the expressway passing through has destroyed many irrigation canals; the electricity for lighting the dragon fruit production has not been replaced with new poles, and the electricity supply has not been restored to its original state."

Along with that comes the worry of lightning strikes and landslides in dragon fruit orchards during the rainy season. Mr. Huynh Van Tha said that his family has a pond to store water for irrigating dragon fruit, but when the highway was built, the construction unit dug a drainage ditch for the local road, filling in his pond without dredging it. Furthermore, instead of being built far away from the power poles on the household's land, this ditch was built close to the poles without being concreted, causing landslides and posing a risk of the poles collapsing. Especially during the ditch digging process, the construction unit did not replace the grounding wire on the power poles – an indispensable component in the lightning protection system of lighting projects – leaving it exposed on the ground… “If anything happens that involves lives, who will be responsible…?” Mr. Vinh expressed his frustration. Accordingly, the grounding system is a crucial part of lightning protection construction. If the lightning protection equipment has poor grounding, lightning strikes can cause serious consequences. Conversely, if the lamppost is properly grounded, the lightning protection system will be able to function at its maximum effectiveness.

Concerned about this, they submitted a collective petition to the relevant authorities, including the People's Committee of Ham Kiem commune, which had conducted a site inspection and found that not only their area but also other areas were similarly affected by the expressway. Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ham Kiem commune, said: "Upon receiving the petition from the people, we conducted an inspection and found that the residents' concerns were well-founded. The People's Committee of the commune has requested the People's Committee of the district to coordinate with relevant agencies to consider and survey the reconstruction of the canal along the residential road to facilitate irrigation, ensuring that people can live and work with peace of mind."

The People's Committee of Ham Thuan Nam district stated that the district is currently inspecting and assessing the impact of the expressway on farmers' production and the lives of people in the area. Issues raised by the people that fall under the district's jurisdiction will be resolved promptly, while those outside the district's jurisdiction will be submitted to higher authorities.

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