Breaking: Lam Dong Orders Complete Demolition of Unauthorized Water Reservoirs on Tan Lai Mountain

On November 5th, the People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province issued a document requesting the complete drainage and dismantling of unauthorized water reservoirs constructed on Tan Lai Mountain by Viet Phong Phu Trading Farm Co., Ltd. in Village 1, Tuy Phong Commune.

Accordingly, Lam Dong Province has instructed the company to pump and drain all ponds and reservoirs within the project area, ensuring the safety of downstream areas during the process.

“After draining, the water barriers must be demolished, and no further water accumulation should occur to prevent risks to downstream areas,” the document stated.

The People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province has tasked the provincial police with leading a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the pond and reservoir collapses, in collaboration with relevant agencies. They are also to inspect the legal status of the ponds and reservoirs at the Viet Phong Phu Farm project to determine appropriate handling measures.

Additionally, the People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province has directed the company to promptly address the consequences for households affected in the downstream areas and to restore damaged irrigation infrastructure.

Regarding agricultural production, initial statistics indicate that approximately 20 hectares of rice in Lac Tri Village, 10 hectares of crops in Lac Tri, Vinh Hanh, and Phuoc The Villages, and 5 hectares of fruit trees in Phuoc The, Lac Tri, and Phu Dien Villages have been impacted.

Among these, losses in rice and shallots are irreparable and are considered a total loss.

Legally, the construction of the six ponds (including three for water storage and fish farming) by Viet Phong Phu Farm under the High-Tech Agricultural Project (VAC model) was not included in the investment plan approved by Decision No. 930/QD-UBND dated April 10, 2018, by the People’s Committee of Binh Thuan Province (prior to the merger). It was also not part of the environmental impact assessment report approved by Decision No. 3628/QD-UBND dated January 18, 2017, by the People’s Committee of Binh Thuan Province (prior to the merger), nor was it covered by Construction Permit No. 117/GPXD dated June 6, 2025, issued by the People’s Committee of Tuy Phong District.

After mapping the locations of the existing ponds on Google Maps, Lam Dong Province determined that the largest pond covers approximately 20 hectares, with an average depth of 4.5 meters and a capacity of about 900,000 cubic meters.

According to the classification of dams and reservoirs under Decree No. 114/2018/ND-CP issued in 2018 by the Government regarding the management of dam and reservoir safety, the aforementioned pond falls under the category of medium-sized reservoirs. Therefore, its design, construction, and supervision must comply with the requirements of Decree No. 114/2018/ND-CP dated September 4, 2018.