Directive No. 73-TTg On Certain Immediate Environmental Protection Tasks

DECISION

APPROVE THE FOREST PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE UPSTREAM WATER SOURCE PROTECTION FOREST FOR THE AYUN HA IRRIGATION PROJECT (GIA LAI PROVINCE)

PROJECT FOR WATER MANAGEMENT AYUN HÀ (PROVINCE OF GIA LAI)

PRIME MINISTER

Considering the report No. 485/TT/DA dated December 17, 1993 of the People's Committee of Gia Lai Province regarding the request for approval of the Ayun Ha protective forest project;
Based on the proposal of the State Planning Commission in Circular No. 3683/UB/TDDA dated November 6, 1994 and the Ministry of Forestry in Decision No. 1008/KH dated April 3, 1994,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approve the planning and construction of the upstream water source protection forest for the Ayun Ha irrigation project in Gia Lai Province with the main contents as follows:

1/ Scope and location:

- Scope: The entire water catchment area of the Ayun River from its headwaters to the water barrier dam of the Ayun Ha irrigation project located in Mang Yang, Chu Se districts and part of Ayun Pa district of Gia Lai Province.

- Location: Located in the region with geographic coordinates:

+ From 13 degrees 0.14' north latitude.

+ From 108 degrees 0.00' to 108 degrees 0.29' east longitude.

Total natural area: 164,500 hectares.

2/ Objectives and tasks:

a) Objectives:

- Constructing the upstream water source protection forest system to contribute to regulating water flow, reducing erosion, sedimentation in the reservoir, and extending the lifespan of the Ayun Ha irrigation project.

- Combining protection with economic activities, reorganizing production, building new rural areas, gradually stabilizing and improving the living standards of ethnic groups in the region, and ending the practice of clearing forests for shifting cultivation and indiscriminate logging.

b) Tasks:

- Creating a concentrated and contiguous upstream water source protection forest system for the Ayun Ha irrigation project: 64,068 hectares (Mang Yang District: 55,508 hectares, Chu Se District: 5,837 hectares, and Ayun Pa District: 723 hectares).

- Reorganizing production, implementing settlement and farming to stabilize and develop production through forestry-agriculture integration or agriculture-forestry integration for 16,798 households with 88,670 people in the region. First, focus on solving the problem of households that are ethnic minorities who make up the majority of the population in the region.

3/ Basic solutions:

a) Implementing settlement and farming for ethnic minorities still practicing shifting cultivation is the top priority solution for constructing the protective forest. It is necessary to quickly establish forestry-agricultural industrial projects or agricultural-forestry industrial projects for settlement and farming in areas where ethnic minorities still practice shifting cultivation, linking forest construction with the task of settlement and farming, based on developing household economies through forestry-agriculture integration or agriculture-forestry integration to quickly stabilize and improve the living standards of residents in the region.

Implement land allocation and forest management contracts to households for managing, protecting, and planting new forests, industrial trees, fruit trees, and grasslands for large livestock on suitable forest and land areas allocated.

b) Establish feasible projects to construct protective forests in weak areas according to each community (village, commune) and organize the implementation of these projects in accordance with the spirit of Decision No. 327/CT dated September 15, 1992 of the Prime Minister.

c) Forestry technical solutions: Utilize the maximum natural regeneration capacity to restore forests on areas planned for protective forest construction. Promote management and protection measures to enrich forests on depleted areas to quickly meet protective requirements. Only plant in vulnerable areas where there is no natural recovery capability. The land allocation structure and crop structure will be specifically determined when establishing feasible projects. In the forest tree structure, the main focus should be on planting native trees with high protective and economic value. Prohibit planting poplar and other species with low protective value.

Technical procedures and forestry norms must comply with the regulations of the Ministry of Forestry.

d) Investment capital:

Capital for constructing protective forests (including encirclement, protection, and new planting) will be invested by the state budget annually based on feasible projects that have been reviewed and approved by competent state agencies.

Capital support for developing garden economies, industrial crops, fruit trees, and raising large livestock in households within the project area will be implemented according to Decision No. 327/CT dated September 15, 1992 of the Prime Minister, specifically detailed in feasible projects and included in the annual plan.

4/ The People's Committee of Gia Lai Province shall be responsible for designating investors and organizing the implementation of feasible projects to construct the upstream water source protective forest for the Ayun Ha irrigation project within six years (1995-2000), ensuring high investment efficiency.

Article 2. The Ministers of Forestry and Finance, the Chairman of the State Planning Commission, the Governor of the State Bank, the Heads of relevant sectors, and the Chairman of the People's Committee of Gia Lai Province are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.