Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has decided to abolish the use of specialised
zones which slow down and dissipate the energy of flood flows to the capital
city and the Hong (Red) River Delta region.

Specifically,
specialised zones in Tam Thanh District in the northern province of Phu Tho, Lap
Thach District in the northern province of Vinh Phuc, and Luong Phu-Quang Oai
and Ba Vi in Ha Noi in conjunction with the flood control system on the Day
River will no longer be used to slow down flood flows from March 10. The Son La
Hydro-electricity Power Plant, together with Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang and Thac Ba
reservoirs, will instead take on the task.

According to the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the specialised zones were
originally located in desolate areas, but these places are now occupied and used
for production. The new system would relieve problems that were affecting
economic development and causing environmental pollution.

According to the
Government plan, Hong River flood flows should be kept below 28,000 cubic metres
per second at Son Tay Gauging Station, and below 20,000 cubic metres per second
at the Ha Noi Gauging Station to protect the safety of the capital city and the
region.

The Government also
plans to upgrade key construction works on the Day River and dredge the river
bed to assure a water flow of 2,500 cubic metres per second in case of serious
flooding.

Dyke routes between
the Hong and Thai Binh rivers, protective dyke systems in Tam Thanh, Lap Thach,
Luong Phu-Quang Oai and Ba Vi districts would also be improved to meet national
flood prevention and dyke standards.

Rotor installed

A 1,000-tonne,
2.8m-high rotor has been successfully installed into the second turbine of the
Son La Hydro-electricity Power Plant.

Nguyen The Trinh,
director of Lilama 10 Joint Stock Company under the plant, said the installation
would assure electricity supplies during the dry season and save the amount of
water used for power in the late flooding season in May.

The turbine will begin
providing power for the national grid in late April.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News