Bt49 billion agreed for flood plans in 10 northern provinces
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Water-retaining capacity to increase by 5 billion cubic metres: SCWRM
The water-management budget for 10 water-origin provinces has been set at Bt49.2 billion, while the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and provincial governors are to rehabilitate forestland in areas where the Ping, Wang, Yom and Nan rivers originate by April, the Strategic Committee on Water Resource Management said yesterday.
SCWRM secretary Supot Tovijakchaikul said the overall water-retaining capacity would increase by 5 billion cubic metres from last year’s level.
After Yingluck Shinawatra’s meeting yesterday with the governors of 10 upper-northern provinces, Supot said the prime minister had also instructed that the Sirikit and Bhumibol dams release water so that they are at 45-per-cent capacity by May 1.
In the rainy season, these two major dams will contain 15 billion cubic metres, while the “monkey cheek” and water-retaining areas will support 5 billion cubic metres and another 10 billion cubic metres will be released through rivers and canals, he said.
Science and Technology Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee will be in charge of the integrated water-forecasting system, comprising the overall water situation and disaster-warning system, through various media channels including social media, Supot said.
Yingluck also instructed the working team for 10 water-origin provinces to implement river-basin management in harmony with the SCWRM plan, which has six short-term and eight long-term measures.
The meeting concluded that the overall budget for the mission would be Bt49.2 billion, comprising 580 short-term projects with a budget of Bt10.7 billion, and 1,900 long-term projects worth Bt38.5 billion, Supot said.
The short-term plan is expected to be completed in April, he added.
The prime minister urged the team to work closely together on river-basin management so that the rehabilitation of forestland and the growing of vetiver grass can be completed by April, before preparing other flood-mitigation measures in the period through to July, he said.
Yingluck also visited the Klong Kam-Klong Ket area in tambon Chumseang Songkhram, which is in Phitsanulok’s Bang Rakam district. She inspected the area with a view to its being turned into a monkey-cheek retention area.
The province has the Yom and Nan rivers running through it, plus the Kwae Noi, Wang Thong and Wang Chompoo branch rivers, hence could support 12 billion cubic metres per year, Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut told the prime minister.
Bang Rakam’s 4,000 rai (640 hectares) of swampland has been dredged so that it can contain 32 million cubic metres of water per year, he said.
Yingluck, who was welcomed by about 400 admirers in the district, said the government would definitely fund the project, which she wanted to see completed by July.
She later visited Phichit, where provincial Governor Suwit Watcharothayangkul asked for a Bt1.15-billion budget: Bt911 million would be for the rehabilitation of 100 rai of lakeland, including Beung Sifai, and Bt240 million for the dredging of 19 canals.
Yingluck said she would discuss Suwit’s request with budgetary officials today.
