Decision No. 667/QD-TTg on approving the program to reinforce and upgrade the coastal dike system from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the approval of the Program to reinforce and upgrade the coastal dyke system from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang

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PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (report No. 2818/TTr-BNN-ĐĐ dated September 18, 2008),

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the Program to reinforce and upgrade the coastal dyke system from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang with the main contents as follows:

I. GUIDING PRINCIPLES

1. To build the coastal dyke system from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang into a closed system, ensuring saltwater exclusion, flood drainage, water supply and other related objectives, guaranteeing social welfare and economic development of each coastal locality.

2. The construction of the coastal dyke system will be based on utilizing favorable natural conditions, closely and scientifically combining engineering solutions with non-engineering measures, integrated with the resettlement of coastal residents; meeting immediate tasks while being suitable for long-term planning, adapting to adverse impacts of climate change on coastal areas.

3. Emphasizing management and maintenance work after construction investment, particularly prioritizing the planting of coastal protective forests as an inseparable part of the coastal dyke system. Strengthening propaganda and education to raise community awareness and responsibility for protecting coastal dykes; at the same time expanding cooperation and experience exchange in coastal dyke management with international partners.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. Completing the closed coastal dyke system from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang to prevent unfavorable impacts from the sea, protect livelihoods and ensure sustainable socio-economic development of coastal localities.

2. Contributing to creating infrastructure appropriate to socio-economic development plans, environmental protection, and national defense security of each locality, especially those with urgent needs.

3. In the long term, the coastal dyke system will ensure safety for livelihoods, economic development, protection of coastal ecological environments, adaptation to rising sea levels and adverse impacts of climate change; simultaneously gradually forming a coastal transportation axis serving socio-economic development and national defense security of coastal regions.

III. MAIN CONTENTS OF THE PROGRAM

1. Reinforcing and upgrading existing dyke lines and constructing auxiliary works, planting and maintaining protective forests along the dyke, forming a unified and sustainable dyke line, ensuring social welfare and socio-economic development of coastal localities.

2. Based on local socio-economic development plans, according to different periods, taking into account the negative impacts of climate change, coastal localities regularly review, adjust, and supplement the planning of the coastal dyke system in line with industry-wide and nationwide programs and strategies.

IV. MAIN SOLUTIONS

1. Group of engineering solutions:

a) Adjusting and determining the dyke route: the adjustment of existing dyke routes and determination of new ones shall be carried out according to the following principles:

- Selecting routes through areas with high terrain, relatively good geological foundations ensuring stability and far from landslide-prone zones.

- A mangrove forest buffer zone of at least 500 meters wide must be established before the dyke route.

- Maximizing the use of sandbanks, hills, existing structures to complete the dyke route; connecting sustainably with stable positions. For river mouth dykes, it must not affect flood drainage and should be far from the riverbank in erosion-prone areas.

- Dyke routes selected to serve coastal transportation must comply with traffic sector standards.

- For sections of accreting coastlines, additional dyke routes outside the main dyke can be gradually arranged to reclaim land for local socio-economic development.

- For sections of eroding coastlines, carefully study and consider relocating residents and moving the dyke inland. If relocation is not possible, construct erosion control works and implement sedimentation measures.

b) Design criteria for dykes:

Based on the importance of the protected area, determine appropriate design criteria, but at a minimum, they must withstand typhoons of category 9 and tidal surges with a frequency of 5%, in the following order: urban and concentrated residential areas; national defense and security facilities; economic, cultural, and important infrastructure areas; agricultural production areas.

c) Cross-section design of the dyke shall follow the principle:

- Ensuring stability according to the current design level of the coastal dyke, with provisions for elevation to adapt to rising sea levels.

- Traffic roads shall be constructed within the footpath of the dyke according to traffic sector standards.

- For the central coastal region, reinforcement on three sides or appropriate overflow structures may be necessary, and traffic on top of the dyke can be combined.

d) Upgrading and constructing new bridges and culverts over the dyke:

Renovating old culverts and building new bridges and culverts must ensure: preventing water intrusion; aligning with agricultural production and aquaculture development plans; controlling saltwater intrusion; and potentially combining with storm shelters for vessels. Initially, focus on areas with high demand for freshwater and transportation, with the remainder implemented in phases of the program.

đ) Enhancing monitoring, research, and evaluation of seasonal dyke erosion phenomena caused by adverse natural impacts or inappropriate human activities... promptly proposing both short-term and long-term solutions to prevent or adapt to these impacts, ensuring sustainable social welfare and development of coastal localities.

e) Planting coastal vegetation and protecting the dyke: concentrating resources, especially mobilizing community participation in protecting and conserving existing forested areas in front of the dyke, ensuring a minimum width of 500 meters; meanwhile, each locality must plan and create beaches for planting wave-breaking vegetation in front of the dyke. Grass or hard materials suitable for protecting the slopes of the dyke must be planted on both sides of the dyke to prevent erosion.

2. Group of non-engineering solutions:

a) Conduct surveys, measurements, and basic investigations in each region and locality, on this basis review the planning of the coastal dike system from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang, ensuring compatibility with the program and strategy for economic and social development in the coastal region, the development plan of the sector, and each locality, taking into account adaptation to the negative impacts of climate change in the coming years.

b) Continue to research and apply advanced science and technology to serve the reinforcement and upgrading of the dike system; strengthen research, monitoring, and early warning of erosion and sedimentation in high-risk coastal areas to propose appropriate adjustments to the dike alignment and suitable measures to prevent or adapt.

c) Strengthen management and protection of coastal sand dunes, strictly manage the exploitation of resources and minerals in coastal areas.

d) Organize effective post-investment dike management, while enhancing propaganda and education to raise awareness and responsibility, and mobilize community participation in planting and protecting coastal protective forests and dikes, ensuring effectiveness and sustainability.

3. On investment capital:

Investment capital for reinforcing, upgrading, and constructing the coastal dike system from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang will be concentrated from the following sources:

- Central budget support under the target program.

- Integration from other related programs and projects in the area such as: coastal road program, coastal defense road program, and East Sea - Archipelago program.

- Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans, other loans, and various forms of assistance.

- Mobilization from businesses directly benefiting or assigned to exploit and use coastal land for business purposes.

VI. IMPLEMENTATION TIMEFRAME

The implementation period of the program is from 2009 to 2020, divided into three phases:

- Phase 1: From 2009 to 2012: mainly planting trees and filling earth to close the dike line from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang.

- Phase 2: From 2013 to 2016: continue reinforcing the dike and roads.

- Phase 3: From 2017 to 2020: building large bridges and culverts, completing the dike system and road network.

Article 2. Implementation

1. Provincial People's Committees responsible for dikes (from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang) shall have the responsibility:

- Direct relevant local agencies to prepare specific investment construction projects to submit for approval by competent authorities and organize implementation according to regulations.

- Allocate and reserve local budget funds, combine with funds from other programs and projects in the area and central government support funds, organize the implementation of specific projects in priority order, ensuring proactivity and efficient use of funds.

- Vigorously promote propaganda to enhance community awareness and responsibility for dike protection, planting, and maintaining coastal protective forests.

- Guide and encourage the public to participate in planting and maintaining coastal protective forests and managing and protecting dikes and coastal environments.

- Create favorable conditions and vigorously promote socialization to attract organizations and individuals to participate in investment construction, management, and exploitation of works, ensuring investment efficiency and local economic development.

2. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall be responsible for:

- Fulfill state management functions in the dike sector, ensuring that the dike system is constructed according to plans, forming a unified whole compatible with the sector's and local development strategies; study and guide related mechanisms and policies in the construction, repair, and management of coastal dikes...

- Guide, inspect, and urge localities in organizing project implementation according to plans; apply design and construction standards; provide technical opinions on important projects with complex techniques when requested by localities.

- Implement scientific and technological research and application topics to serve the upgrading and construction of dike, bridge, and culvert works...

- Summarize and evaluate at each phase to draw lessons and improve investment effectiveness and the feasibility of the program.

3. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and related localities: allocate funds to implement the program; based on needs and state budget capacity, annually allocate funds according to the target program to support localities; monitor implementation to ensure compliance with objectives and effectiveness.

4. The Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control shall be responsible for supervising and urging ministries, sectors, and localities in organizing program implementation, ensuring compatibility with the national strategy for flood and storm prevention and mitigation until 2020.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect from the date of issuance.

Article 4. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of agencies under the Government, Head of the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control, and Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and cities: Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, and Kien Giang are responsible for implementing this Decision./.