Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee Le Van Su on May 11 instructed local agencies and authorities to urgently resolve saltwater intrusion and support residents affected by the expansion and upgrade project at Ca Mau Airport.
Authorities determined that construction work on the project caused saltwater contamination, affecting production activities of 92 households in Tan Thanh Ward. More than 85.3 hectares of rice fields, crops and aquaculture areas were damaged.
The area surrounding the Ca Mau Airport expansion project site (Photo: Contributor).
The provincial leadership requested investors and contractors to immediately implement technical measures to completely prevent seepage and saltwater intrusion at the construction site, with all work to be completed by May 14.
The People’s Committee of Tan Thanh Ward was instructed to establish an interagency task force to survey, assess and calculate damage to crops and livestock, while guiding affected households in declaring specific losses. The process must be completed before May 18.
The ward authorities will then collect opinions from relevant agencies and affected residents on compensation methods and production recovery plans before May 22.
The Ca Mau provincial government also instructed the Department of Agriculture and Environment to develop a comprehensive plan to address saltwater intrusion and compensation, with completion scheduled before June 13.
Residents previously reported mass fish deaths allegedly linked to saltwater contamination caused during sand pumping operations for the Ca Mau Airport expansion project.
Affected households urged authorities to quickly determine the cause and introduce appropriate solutions.
Fish died in ponds owned by residents near the Ca Mau Airport expansion project area (Photo: Contributor).
According to a report from the Ca Mau Department of Agriculture and Environment, site inspections found that contractors had built low embankments during sand pumping operations, causing breaches that allowed saltwater to overflow directly into nearby canals.
Authorities collected five surface water samples around the construction area. Test results showed polluted water quality and salinity levels unsuitable for freshwater aquaculture and rice cultivation.