Mekong residents voice their concerns

Residents living in the Mekong River basin are expressing concerns over water degradation in the Mekong river and its impact on farming, aquaculture and the livelihood of the millions of people who live in the region. People from Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam’s Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta raised concerns yesterday at a forum held by the Viet Nam River Network, Save the Mekong, the Southern Institute of Ecology and An Giang University, saying that their lives have changed negatively due to the changes in the river’s water level. … There are currently five big dams in operation along the Mekong river with 12 more dams proposed, which are expected to take a huge volume of water from the river, change its natural flow and destroy the fish habitat. … Kong Chanthy, a Cambodian farmer said similar situations have also happened in his community. Lower water volume in the Mekong River has affected his cultivation, while increasing pollution has hindered his aquaculture. … Speaking at the forum, Dr Duong Van Ni of Can Tho University confirmed the phenomenon observed by farmers and fishermen. “Water in the Mekong River has shown signs of changes in water volume and water quality,” he said. “Fish populations have fallen by one third recently,” he added, according to research he conducted in Cambodia and Viet Nam. Ni forecasted a critical shortage of water for cultivation in Cambodia’s Tonle Sap and Viet Nam’s Cuu Long (Mekong) deltas. …

http://vietnamnews.vn/society/242941/mekong-residents-voice-their-concerns.html