Disputed dam back on table
14/06/2010
Kaeng Sua Ten is part of drought battle plan
The Agriculture Ministry plans to revive the controversial Kaeng Sua Ten dam as part of its drive to solve the water crisis threatening the country.
A boy looks at the parched bed of the Lam Takong reservoir in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Sikhiu district. The reservoir is the main source of water for farming in the surrounding area.
SAROT MEKSOPHAWANNAKUL
Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Minister Theera Wongsamut yesterday said he will push for projects, including Kaeng Sua Ten dam, to increase the number of reservoirs nationwide to deal with the persistent drought.
The dam will benefit 44 districts in 12 northern and central provinces and provide water for tens of thousands of farms and households.
Kaeng Sua Ten dam was one of five dams put on hold in 1997 by the Chuan Leekpai government following protests by the Assembly of the Poor and after opposition from conservationists.
Opponents say the dam will destroy about 20,000 rai of the country's most pristine teak forest in Phrae's Mae Yom National Park.
The Yom is the only one of four rivers flowing into the Chao Phraya (the others are the Ping, Wang and Nan rivers) without a dam and a large reservoir.
Mr Theera said he will make sure a study of the Kaeng Sua Ten dam project along with a development plan for the Yom River basin will be completed and submitted for cabinet approval by year's end.
He said he will also push for a project to divert water from the northern Kok, Ing and Nan rivers into the Sirikit dam in Uttaradit, as well as a project to divert water from the Yuam River in Mae Hong Son into the Bhumibol dam in Tak.
The water diversion projects are expected to retain about 5 billion cubic metres of water, Mr Theera said.
The Kaeng Sua Ten project has the backing of Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart who will help secure cabinet approval for the plan, Mr Theera said.
The minister said the water shortage has to be dealt with now for the benefit of future generations.
"I don't want to be scolded in the future for failing to do something to prepare for and solve the water problem," Mr Theera said.
He said he is ready to face opposition to the Kaeng Sua Ten dam from activists. "Environmentalists must decide what is in the country's best interests."
The minister said the water shortage problem will persist as the monsoon rains has subsided and no rainfall is forecast until next month.
The drought has required the production of artificial rain to supplement natural water flows into the Sirikit and Bhumibol dams.
Daily cloud-seeding operations will take place from now until October.
Mr Theera said he and Maj Gen Sanan will travel today by helicopter to inspect the two dams and the rain-making operations.
Mr Theera said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is concerned about the low water levels in dams nationwide.
The volume of water in 33 large dams, 37 medium-sized dams and other reservoirs across the country is only 47% of their combined capacity.
Only 15% of the water in these dams and reservoirs is suitable for consumption.
Only 4% of the water in the two major dams, Bhumibol and Sirikit, is available for consumption over the next 50 days, or until the end of July when the rainy season begins, Mr Theera said.
Warawuth Khantiyanant, director of the Bureau of Royal Rainmaking and Agriculture Aviation, said cloud seeding last week has drawn about 2million cubic metres of rainwater to Bhumibol dam and about 6 million cubic metres to Sirikit dam.
bangkokpost.com