A saline prevention sluice gate in Tien Giang province. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on April 8 signed an official dispatch asking competent officials to take proactive response to ensuring sufficient fresh water supply for local residents in the Mekong Delta region which has been hard hit by prolonged heat waves and saline intrusion.

According to relevant agencies from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), three spells of saltwater intrusion are forecast until mid-May in the Delta, one on April 8-13, one on April 20-28 and another on May 7-11, which could result in severe localised water shortages.

Against this backdrop, PM Chính requested the ministers of Natural Resources and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Construction and Information and Communications together with chairmen of the People’s Committees of affected localities such as Bến Tre, Tiền Giang, Kiên Giang, Long An, Sóc Trăng, Bạc Liêu and Cà Mau to stay vigilant, keep a close watch on the current situation as well as take drastic and effective measures in response to droughts, water scarcity and saline intrusion.

The chairmen are urged to pen rational measures regulating fresh water, while arranging local budget and mobilising other legal financial sources to roll out necessary measures to ensure sufficient water for local livelihoods and production.

Meanwhile, the ministers of the MoNRE and MARD are requested to their agencies to make sound forecasts, and provide information on the water supply and saline intrusion situations in the region in a timely and exact fashion so that localities will have rational response measures.

The Minister of Information and Communications must direct and instruct press agencies on communications work, assuring that information on the issue will be delivered in a timely and accurate manner.

Other competent ministries and sectors are asked to support localities to respond to water shortage and saline intrusion.

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang is ordered to continue direction for ministries, sectors and localities to carry out suitable response measures. — VNS