Cat Tien national park recognition as the world’s natural heritage: facing difficulty due to Dong Nai hydroelectric power project 6, 6A.

Cat Tien national park is being considered being recognized as the world’s heritage. Photo: Bau Sau – Cat Tien national park.

The experts required information about environmental effect assessment if hydroelectric power project is deployed and the protection of Dong Nai river in the overall plan of the national park management and reservation.

Hereunder is information about assessment of specialists, scientists, Cat Tien national park’s manager around the issue of hydroelectric power projects 6 and 6A, recorded by Dong Nai journalists.

Dr. Tobias Garsteki: hydroelectric power project is an obstacle for Cat Tien national park’s application for world’s natural heritage.

“So far we are not able to assess at environment effects of the regional hydroelectric power projects because as experts and scientists, we would like to give answer based on practical research. However, building hydroelectric power factories, especially on lowland would affect the nature, such as drainage, water quality… I can give a similar case in Iraq, an area being considered to be qualified world’s heritage. There is a hydroelectric power factory nearby it. The UNESCO international council was very confused and pending to make its decision. We are not sure it will happen to Cat Tien because it is hard to compare the two sites. In nomination process, UNESCO has not stipulated if it is alright to build hydroelectric power factories nearby nominee sites. But this is an obstacle for the nominee since it affects natural forest’s value.

Mr. Nguyen Van Dien – Director of Cat Tien National Park: It is necessary to have an independent science council to do research on environment effects of the hydroelectric power factory.

“The hydroelectric power projects 6 and 6A are being reconsidered. As the director of national park, I hope there is an independent science council to do research on the environment effects of the hydroelectric power factory with in order to make a rational and wise decision for the sake of the nation. This is really necessary when Cat Tien national park is nominated as the world’s heritage. If it is recognized as the world’s natural heritage, according to the heritage law, it is against the law to effect the environment in any form because it is not only a heritage of a nation but of the world.

 Associate Professor Dr. Le Xuan Canh: We have to estimate economic – social – environmental benefits wholly and consonantly.

“As the chairman of the supervision council of Dong Nai hydroelectric power projects 6 and 6A, I can confirm these projects are in the planning project of the Prime Minister and there are mostly no direct effects to the natural environment. However, I admit that the implementation of the project will affect the environment and in the aspect of reservation, all these effects must be assessed precisely based on objective and scientific research. In my opinion, we should estimate economic – social – environmental benefits wholly and consonantly. Plenty of nations rarely construct hydroelectric power factories. And according to Japanese regulation, hydroelectric power factories have to be located away from natural heritage at least 50km”.

Proposal to stop investing in the hydroelectric power project

Talking to Dong Nai Press journalist, Ms. Phan Thi My Hanh – Vice President of the provincial People’s Committee said, so far the province still keeps its own point of views and continues to propose to stop investing in the Dong Nai 6 and 6A hydroelectric power projects.

Accordingly, in August 2011, the Provincial People’s Committee has sent its official letter to Ministry of Industry and Trade recommending the investment in these 2 constructions. It clearly expresses that 137 ha forest of the Cat Tien national park will be badly affected by the projects. Besides, it also affects the nomination process of Cat Tien national park to be recognized as world’s heritage.

In December 2011, Dong Nai Province continued to hold a science conference on the projects’ effects to the environment for lower section of Dong Nai Province. There were 67 delegates with 13 presentations and 12 ideas at the conference. It clearly stated that there would be 3 positive and 6 negative effects of hydroelectric power projects and negative effects to the environment, biosphere, people’s living in the lower sections… are dramatic. Therefore, in the conclusive document, the Provincial People’s Committee continues to propose to stop investing in the hydroelectric power projects.

 Source: Dong Nai Press