A major water conservancy project proposed by the Water Resources Agency (WRA) yesterday was criticized by legislators because of insufficient communication with local people and an inappropriate environmental impact assessment.
According to the agency's budget, NT$350 million is needed this year for construction of an ambitious water conservancy project that aims to make water resources in two major southern river basins more flexible.
The project aims to transfer spare water from Kaoping River, which divides Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties, during the rainy season to the Tsengwen Reservoir in Tainan County.
According to agency officials, the project includes the construction of diversion weirs, a total of 20km worth of water pipes and two tunnels totaling 15km to make the reservoir more functional.
WRA director-general Chen Shen-hsien (陳伸賢) said yesterday at the Legislative Yuan that the project would increase daily water supply to the south by an average of 600,000 tonnes.
Independent Legislator Walis Pelin (瓦歷斯貝林), however, questioned Chen about the project's environmental-impact assessment report, which claims that no rare animal species live near the water intakes and exits or the planned diversion weirs.
"The survival of the varicorhinus barbatulus fish has been a symbol of good life for Aboriginal people in Taoyuan township, Kaohsinug County. But a diversion weir, which would be 3m high and 175m long, is planned for there," the legislator said.
He said the survival of water creatures in the area would be significantly affected by the project and residents had complained about it for a long time.
"The WRA did not appropriately communicate with local Aboriginal people on the issue," he said.
Chen replied that water volume in the river would be ensured because river water would be only transported to Tainan County for better storage during rain seasons.
"In addition, we have also designed fish ladders, by which the survival of fish and other water creatures can be guaranteed," Chen said.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Cheng Kuo-chung (鄭國忠) complained that the construction of a diversion weir in Nanhsi township, Tainan County, would limit development.
"The project unfairly sacrifice the rights and interests of people in Tainan County to offer more water to people in the Kao-hsiung metropolitan area," Cheng said.
Chen said that compensation measures had been designed for people living near the project.
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