Almost 1,500 people from 15 villages in Kaleum and Lamam districts of Xekong province will be resettled in the upcoming dry season to make way for the construction of the Xekong 4 hydropower project, according to the provincial authority.

Xekong Governor Khampheuy Boutdavieng said last Friday the villages to be moved are mainly in Kaleum district. The communities will be provided with new facilities, with construction expected to start when the rainy season ends.

Local media reports confirmed that more than 1,000 people in 13 villages in Kaleum district and more than 400 people in two villages in Lamam district will move to the newly built Vak village.

Most of the 15 villages fall within the zone where water will be released by the dam once it becomes operational, and so are at risk of flooding from rapidly rising water channels.

These are low lying communities which suffered crop and livestock losses and destruction of homes during tropical storm Ketsana last September, the governor said.

“The 15 villages are located downstream of the Xekong 4 dam site, and include two villages in Kaleum district centre, which will be relocated 30km away,” said Mr Khampheuy.

He explained that Kaleum district’s two urban villages are the administrative centre. They will move to the new resettlement area where the provincial authority expects to start building offices, schools, a hospital and other buildings in several months’ time.

The new Kaleum district centre will be closer to the Lao-Vietnamese border.

“We don’t yet know when work will start on the dam, but the government approved the project two years ago. A Russian company is the investor in the project, and is still negotiating with buyers for the sale of electricity,” he said.

The province has other hydropower projects in its next five year socio-economic development plan, including Xekong 4 and 5, Xekhaman 4 and Huay-Emern.

Mr Khampheuy said ground should be broken on a hydropower project on Huaylamphan stream next year, while the Xekhaman 3 dam is now over 60 percent complete. “Large projects will help the province build infrastructure and provide job opportunities for our people as well as helping to reduce overall poverty,” said the governor. The province had acted to attract domestic and international investors in hydropower and mining projects, aiming to eradicate local poverty.

According to Xekong province’s socio-economic development plan, provincial per capita GDP averages US$350 and is expected to reach US$650 to US$700 per person over the next five years.

Source: Vientiane Times
By Panyasith Thammavongsa
July 06, 2010