Activities of management, operation and exploitation or utilization of irrigation projects under latest regulations in Vietnam

Activities of management, operation and exploitation or utilization of irrigation projects under latest regulations in Vietnam (Internet image) 

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Activities of management, operation and exploitation or utilization of irrigation projects under latest regulations in Vietnam

Activities of management, operation and exploitation or utilization of irrigation projects according to Article 20 of the Law on Irrigation 2017 are as follows:

- Water management shall mainly focus on the following activities:

+ Collect hydro-meteorological forecasting information; carry out purpose-made hydro-meteorological measurements or observations at their basins; conduct observation, forecast and give sufficient warnings of flood, inundation, waterlogging, drought, water shortage, saltwater intrusion, water volume and quality; make an inventory of water sources within a system of irrigation works and facilities, and an analysis of water consumption demands;

+ Establish and undertake activities necessary for implementation of the plan for water retention, storage, regulation, transfer, distribution, supply, crop irrigation, water drainage and consumption; control water quality and saltwater intrusion; carry out plans for response to natural disasters;

+ Protect environment and quality of water existing inside the perimeter of irrigation projects; inspect and control discharge of sewage or wastewater into irrigation projects;

+ Establish and archive technical documents related to management and distribution of water within a system of irrigation works or facilities.

- Management of irrigation works or facilities shall mainly focus on the following activities:

+ Measure, observe, monitor, inspect, audit and assess safety of irrigation projects;

+ Manage, conduct maintenance, investment in improvement, construction, modernization of, and deal with and correct any failure or breakdown that may happen to, irrigation projects as well as machinery and equipment thereof; mark the boundary of irrigation projects for security purposes;

+ Make a request to relevant competent authorities to grant their approval and conduct actions specified in the plan for response to natural disaster and the plan for protection of irrigation projects;

+ Establish and archive technical documents related to management of irrigation works or facilities.

- Economic management of irrigation works or facilities shall mainly focus on the following activities:

+ Conduct establishment, validation and release within appropriate jurisdiction or make a request to relevant competent authorities for their validation and release or approval of application of economic and technical norms to serve the purpose of management and operation of irrigation projects;

+ Conduct formulation and implementation of the plan to supply irrigation products and services;

+ Conclude, carry out the acceptance testing of and discharge contracts for supply and consumption of irrigation products and services;

+ Create the proper organizational model for management, operation and protection of designated irrigation projects and resources;

+ Make a regular report on evaluation of effectiveness in management, operation and protection of irrigation projects; draw up and conduct implementation of the plan for general operation of irrigation projects and expansion of the scope of services to be rendered with a view to developing capacity of irrigation projects;

+ Establish and archive asset and financial management documents or records.

2. Responsibilities assumed by owners or operators of irrigation projects in Vietnam

Responsibilities assumed by owners or operators of irrigation projects in Vietnam according to Article 22 of the Law on Irrigation 2017 are as follows:

- Responsibilities assumed by owners or operators of irrigation projects shall be prescribed as follows:

+ Exercise rights and responsibilities legally assigned to owners of irrigation projects;

+ Provide a sufficient amount of finances for maintenance, investment in improvement, construction, modernization of, and handling and correction of any failure or breakdown that may happen to, irrigation projects; marking of the boundary of irrigation projects for security purposes and solutions to increasing effectiveness in management and operation of irrigation projects.

- Responsibilities assumed by managers of irrigation projects shall be prescribed as follows:

+ Manage operation and protection of irrigation projects where appropriate to their designed objectives and functions, potentials and advantages;

+ Select and contract organizations or individuals obtaining permission for operation of irrigation projects; monitor supply and use of irrigation products and services;

+ Take charge of investigation and assessment of effectiveness in management and operation of irrigation projects on a quinquennial or unscheduled basis; grant decisions under their delegated authority or request owners to make their decisions on improvement, construction, modernization and solutions to increasing effectiveness in management and operation of irrigation projects on the basis of results of such investigation and assessment;

+ Take on other duties as prescribed by applicable laws.

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