b) Land area for construction of urban and industrial areas:

- Anticipated land area for construction of urban areas: 100,000 – 110,000 hectares by 2020, 320,000 – 350,000 hectares by 2050

- Anticipated land area for construction on concentrated industrial area: 20,000 – 30,000 hectares by 2020, 40,000 – 50,000 hectares by 2050

5. Region development model:

The development model of Mekong Delta is multipolar combined with economic corridors.

6. Spatial development orientation:

a) The spatial structure of the region is tightly associated with Ho Chi Minh City, the East Sea, the West Sea, and borderline with Cambodia through highways and freeways that connect central areas and sub-regional centers, including:

- Spatial structure of urban areas and industrial areas:

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+ North East urban area with My Tho city as the epicenter and connected with Go Cong town, Tan An town, Tra Vinh town, Ben Tre city, and Tan Thanh urban area.

+ South West urban area with Ca Mau as the epicenter and connected with Rach Gia city, Ha Tien town, Bac Lieu town, Soc Trang city, and Vi Thanh town.

Connection along urban economic corridors:

+ Waterway economic corridor: Tien river, Hau river, and primary waterway routes from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho, Ca Mau, Cao Lanh, Rach Gia, and Ha Tien.

+ Road economic corridor: Highway 1A, Ho Chi Minh City – Can Tho Freeway; Highway 50, Ho Chi Minh trail Stage 2, N1 route along the borderline with Cambodia; East – West routes along Tien river and Hau river (Highway 62, Highway 30, Highway 54, Highway 91, Highway 61, etc.).

- Landscape structure: the system of Tien river and Hau river, coastal mangrove area along West Sea and East Sea; Dong Thap Muoi ecology, Phu Quoc islands and natural forests, U Minh Thuong and U Minh Ha forests, etc.

b) Orientation for spatial development of the region:

- Division of region by function:

+ Areas dedicated to urban development:

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. Adjacent areas within the radius of 30 – 50 km from the central urban area includes O Mon, Cai Rang, Binh Minh of Can Tho city, An Chau, Phu Hoi of Long Xuyen city; Anh Huu, Cai Tau Ha of Vinh Long province; My Tho and Thanh Binh of Dong Thap province; these urban areas are satellites of Can Tho city.

. Counterpart region: in the South West: Kien Giang, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, and Hau Giang with provincial urban areas including Rach Gia, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, and Vi Thanh, the average distance of which from the central urban area is 30 – 50 km. In the North East: Tien Giang, Long An, Ben Tre, and Dong Thap with provincial urban areas including My Tho city, Tan An town, Go Cong town, Ben Tre city, and Tan Thanh urban area, the average distance of which from the central urban area is 30 – 50 km; these are important gateway between Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City.

+ Urban economic corridors:

. Urban economic corridor: Tien river and Hau river (East – West economic corridor) and Highway 91 (Southern Hau River segment) with the West lead being border checkpoints of An Giang province and Dong Thap province, the East lead being coastal urban areas – ports of Soc Trang (Tran De – Dai Ngai ports). This is the corridor that connects Vietnam with ASEAN countries and other countries.

. Urban economic corridor of Highway 1A – Ho Chi Minh trail (North – South): Can Tho city is the epicenter; the North lead is My Tho city which connects Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta; the South pole is Ca Mau city which connects Gas - Electricity - Fertilizer Complex in Ca Mau and Kien Luong Thermal Power Plant in Kien Giang.

. Other urban economic corridor that connect the other urban areas serving agricultural production and provision of services of rural areas, including: the South East corridor is from Go Den (Long An) to My Tho (Tien Giang) which are adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City; South West corridor is the gateway of Mekong Delta and West Sea; coastal corridor, borderline corridor, etc.

Distribution of urban areas by characteristics and functions

. Multi-purpose urban area and epicenter of the region: Can Tho city.

. Provincial urban areas: Tan An town, My Tho city, Ben Tre city, Cao Lanh city, Vinh Long city, Tra Vinh town, Long Xuyen city, Soc Trang city, Bac Lieu city, Vi Thanh town, Ca Mau city, and Rach Gia city.

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. Major specialized urban areas: Can Tho (education and training), Rach Gia (tourism), Tan An and Ca Mau (services – industry), Ha Tien (services – tourism), Song Document, Nam Can, Chau Doc, Tri Ton (fishing) have their own functions and development models.

. Central urban areas of districts: 198 district towns associated with administrative activities and agricultural – aquaculture services of districts.

. Urban area on Phu Quoc island (Kien Giang): dedicated to development of trade – tourism, services.

Classification of urban areas by flood zones

Flood level over 3m: Chau Doc town and 8 district towns in the high flood zone; flood level from 2 to 3 m: Long Xuyen city and 6 district towns; flood level from 1 to 2 m: Cao Lanh city, Sa Dec city, and 15 district towns; flood level below 1m: Can Tho city, My Tho city, Vinh Long city, Ben Tre city, Rach Gia city, Tan An town, and 23 urban areas, including 17 district towns.

- Areas dedicated to industrial development

+ Central industrial area of Mekong Delta for development of industry - export processing, high-technology, clean industry, and ancillary industry.

+ North East industry area in Long An province and Tien Giang province, which are adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City, for development of agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, mechanical engineering serving agricultural production, manufacture of consumables; ship building.

+ South West industry area in Tra Vinh, An Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Vi Thanh, Ca Mau, and Kien Giang for development of gas – electricity – fertilizer, fish processing, building materials, mechanical engineering, electronics, etc. and ancillary industries.

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+ National and international tourism areas: Can Tho city and adjacent area, My Tho and adjacent area, Bay Nui – Rach Gia – Kien Luong – Phu Quoc and adjacent areas, Nam Can – Dat Mui and adjacent areas.

Tourism areas are developed together with protective ecological belts; tourism is organized by subregion and connecting routes.

+ Dong Thap Muoi subregion, Tien river and Hau river subregion, Long Xuyen Quadtrangle subregion, West Hau river subregion, Ca Mau subregion, West Sea coast subregion.

+ Phu Quoc – Ha Tien – Kien Luong tourism areas: development of sea- and island-related tourism and ecological tourism with bird’s gardens in Hiep Thanh (Bac Lieu), Tan Dan (Ca Mau), Ba Tri (Ben Tre), Tram Chim (Dong Thap), and religious tourism with famous temples and pagodas (Dinh Ba and pagodas are scattered among provinces, especially Tra Vinh and Soc Trang).

+ Inter-regional tourism routes: From Ho Chi Minh City to Tien Giang, Dong Thap Muoi, Can Tho, Ca Mau.

+ International – national tourism routes: Ho Chi Minh city – Can Tho city through sea ports, airports to connect with other regions in the world. Can Tho city and Trans-Asia Route form a tourism route with Cambodia – Thailand in Mekong Subregion. Can Tho city is to be connected with tourism areas of Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Ha Tien, Phu Quoc. Caravan tourism routes by boat along Mekong river (including Tien river and Hau river) to Cambodia’s Tonlé Sap (250 km in length); cultural – historical remains: Tan Chau silk (bordering area), Ong Ho’s isle, plantations, floating fish farms, Dong Tam snake farms, Southern Khmer pagoda in Tra Vinh, etc.

- Agriculture areas, nature conservation areas:

+ Agriculture areas are protected and developed with advanced biotechnologies, primarily in Long An, Tien Giang, and An Giang.

+ Nature conservation areas include: U Minh Thuong forest, U Minh Ha forest, Dong Thap Muoi ecology zone, etc.; marine tourism areas include Phu Quoc, Ha Tien, Hon Chong, and other locations along the coast of East Sea of Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, etc.

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. Central area with a radius of 30 km: highly-concentrated urban areas along Tien river, Hau river, Highway 1A Including: Can Tho city, Long Xuyen city, Cao Lanh city, and Vinh Long city which are tightly connected to Ho Chi Minh City.

. South West urban construction zone from Highway 91 to Ca Mau: concentrated at the center of urban areas, expanded around the urban areas, including: Rach Gia city, Ca Mau city, Bac Lieu town, Vi Thanh town. This is the counterpart urban area in the South West – the system of satellite urban areas for the central urban area with Can Tho city as the epicenter, connected to Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau by Highway 1A (Can Tho city); to Long Xuyen city, Chau Doc town, border checkpoints of An Giang province by Highway 91; along Highway 61 from Highway 1A through Vi Thanh to Go Quao, Rach Gia city, and connect Ho Chi Minh trail with Ca Mau province.

. Urban construction zone in adjacent areas with a radius of 30 – 50km: an urban area that connects central urban areas with surrounding areas which support the development of central urban areas and urban economic corridors in the region. Non-construction zone associated with ecological areas, agriculture and forestry areas.

. Urban construction zone in counterpart urban areas: concentrated in central urban areas of the region and industrial parks.

- Industrial – trade zones:

. Industrial zones are primarily located in the provinces adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City. After the completion of Rach Mieu bridge, Can Tho Bridge, and Ham Luong bridge (after 2010), routes N1, N2, and freeways Ho Chi Minh City – Can Tho, Can Tho – Phnom Penh, Can Tho - Ca Mau will be completed; industrial parks and industrial complexes will be expanded.

. Industrial – trade zones in counterpart areas associated with sub-regional urban areas such as processing of fish, farm produce, and food in provincial cities and towns such as  Ca Mau, Rach Gia, Can Tho, My Tho, Long Xuyen, Vinh Long, etc.; rice threshing industry in provincial cities of An Giang, Can Tho, Soc Trang, Dong Thap, Tien Giang provinces, etc. with flexible but controlled development.

- Ecological zones:

. The system of Tien river, Hau river, Vam Co Dong river, Vam Co Tay river, other rivers and channels create an ecological belt which consists of forests along the rivers. Together with the tree belts dividing urban areas, industrial areas, and highway trees, they are the main landscape of the region. Major rivers also help improve microclimate of urban areas.

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c) Orientation of social infrastructural development of the region

- Distribution of training system in the region

Training institutions are concentrated in My Tho city, Vinh Long city, Can Tho city, Ca Mau city, and Bac Lieu town with Can Tho city as the epicenter; satellites and re-training institutions are located in Cao Lanh city, Long Xuyen city, and Rach Gia city where key and distinctive industries serving socio-economic development of the region is concentrated.

- Distribution of healthcare in the region

. Improve the capacity and quality of Can Tho General Hospital to make it the most advanced medical facility of the region. Enhance and increase investment in equipment and technologies for surgery and orthopedics wards of general hospitals of the following provinces: Tien Giang, Dong Thap, Kien Giang and Ca Mau. Build an orthopedic hospital in Tien Giang province.

. Invest in development of the regional Preventive Medicine Center in Can Tho; establish bordering quarantine centers in An Giang, Kien Giang, and Ca Mau provinces. Upgrade provincial Preventive Medicine Centers so that they are capable of resolving preventive medicine issues in the province.

- Distribution of housing system

. Key urban areas along Tien river and Hau river is meant for development of high-density housing.

. Counterpart urban areas in the South West – North East: expand urban areas and urban centers associated with industrial parks, agriculture zones, and ecological zones.

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- Distribution of trade and services system:

Establish major trade and service centers of Mekong Delta region in Can Tho, Long Xuyen, Rach Gia, Ca Mau, checkpoint economic zones, major checkpoints with key products being rice, frozen fish, tropical fruits, textile and garment, footwear, electronics, etc.

7. Orientation of technical infrastructural development of the region:

a) Technical preparation of construction land

- Planning for irrigation and flood:

+ Left side of Tien river consists of 3 subregions: the North and South of Nguyen Van Tiep channel are meant for control of flood, removal of alum and salt; the subregion between two Vam Co rivers  are meant for control of salinization, flood drainage, and environmental remediation in the whole region.  Flood is primarily discharged into Tien river and Vam Co river.

+ The area between Tien river and Hau river consists of 4 subregions: North of Vinh An channel, North of Mang Thit river, South of Mang Thit river, and Ben Tre. Two subregions North of Vinh An channel and North of Mang Thit river are meant for control of flood. Two South of Mang Thit and Ben Tre are meant for control of salinization, supply of freshwater, and drainage. Main sources of water are Tien river and Hau river. Water is primarily discharged into Hau river and part of Tien river.

+ Ca Mau peninsula consists of 6 subregions including West of Hau river, U Minh Thuong, U Minh Ha, Quan Lo – Phung Hiep, Nam Ca Mau, and the coast of Bac Lieu – Vinh Chau. The main source of water supply is Hau river through its channels and rainwater. Water is primarily discharged into Cai Lon river, Cai Be river, Ong Doc river, Ganh Hao river, My Thanh river, etc. and the sea.  The subregion at the West of Hau river is meant for control of flood (from Long Xuyen Quadrangle), flood drainage, and salinization control in the area adjacent to Cai Lon river, Cai Be river; other subregions are meant for prevention of salinization, retention of freshwater.

+ Long Xuyen Quadrangle is meant for control of flood, increase supply of freshwater from Hau river, flood drainage, removal of alum, and control of coastal salinization.

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+ Avoid building in areas where flood level is high and at starting points of flood, especially works that affect the flow of flood.  Take measures to prevent landslide in urban areas and residential areas along rivers (building embankment, adjusting the flow, establishing safety corridor along river banks, etc.)

+ Complete the primary irrigation system of the region, infield irrigation systems, rural residential areas, rural roads, and dykes.

+ Complete the system of coastal dykes according to projects of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang) with consideration taken of climate change and sea level rise.

+ Protect and restore the system of coastal protective forests; prevent and control construction in these areas.

- Elevation planning:

+ The construction elevations of urban areas, residential areas, and industrial parks are determined according to the highest level of water (corresponding to 1% frequency – national elevation system).

+ Apply or combine the following solutions: level the entire construction area (for a new construction site), build embankments above flood level (for renovated site with high construction density); combination of embankment above flood level and raising ground elevation.

+ In areas where people are scattered, it is necessary to build embankments in combination with gardens, ponds, breeding.

- Prevention of impacts of natural disasters:

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+ Study, propose solutions for natural disaster response (building river embankments, relocation of people, planting protective trees on the banks, etc) in the areas facing high risk of land slide along rivers, channels, canals.

+ Channeling major transport routes and high-speed routes, especially those at risk of land slide.

- Orientation of urban rainwater drainage:

+ By 2015: upgrade the existing shared drainage system, build separate and independent drainage systems for new urban areas. Complete drainage projects and urban environment remediation funded by PDA. Improve the capacity of existing drainage and flood prevention systems in urban areas that are not provided with sufficient capital in order to improve people’s life therein.

+ 2015 - 2020: build separate drainage systems (which separate rainwater from wastewater). Rainwater will be discharged into rivers, channels, canals without treatment. In existing urban areas: Upgrade the existing shared drainage system; separate the flows to collect and take wastewater to the concentrated treatment facility of the urban area.

+ In low urban areas affected by tide (Ca Mau peninsula), it is necessary to provide land for construction of detention basin (10% - 15% of urban construction land).

b) Traffic:

- Road:

+ National vertical routes:

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. Works in progress and new works: N1 route along the borderline which connects Highway 14C from Tay Ninh to Ha Tien; Ho Chi Minh trail which connects to Highway 14 from the boundary between Long An and Dat Mui (Ca Mau). It is expected that after 2020, the segment from the North to Ca Mau city will be a freeway; an freeway in the East from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho – Ca Mau will be built (along Quan Lo – Phung Hiep); interregional freeway in the South that connect Mekong Delta with the Southeast, starting in Long An.

+ Inner-regional vertical route: Upgrade Highway 61 (Vi Thanh – Can Tho), the segment from My Thuan bridge to Road N2 of Highway 80 into a freeway.

- Horizontal route (from the border to the East Sea):

. Upgrade the coastal route in the South from Ha Tien checkpoint to Ca Mau; keep building the road from South of River Hau to Bac Lieu; expand Highway 62 from Tan An to Binh Hiep checkpoint; Upgrade the segment from Highway 1A to Road N2 (Cao Lanh) of Highway 30 into a freeway; expand Highway 30 from N2 to Dinh Ba checkpoint of; maintain Highway 91 from Can Tho to Chau Doc; build the freeway Can Tho – Chau Doc – Phnom Penh; upgrade freeway Ha Tien – Rach Gia – Bac Lieu; upgrade and adjust Highway 53 crossing Vinh Long and Tra Vinh, Highway 54 through Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Dong Thap, Dinh An Economic Zone and deep water ports of Mekong Delta (in combination with building embankments); expand Highway 57 crossing Ben Tre province;

. Upgrade some provincial roads into Highways such as provincial road 886 connecting Tien Giang and Long An, provincial road 865, provincial road 846 connecting Long An and Dong Thap; provincial road 941 connecting An Giang and Kien Giang, the road along Nguyen Van Tiep channel, the road along Thap Muoi channel No. 2, road 965 of An Giang province, the road between two Vam Co rivers. New constructions: two roads along Cho Gao Moi channel; Bac Lieu – Bung Tau road; An Giang - Bac Lieu road based on extended provincial road 943; Highway 30B from Dinh Ba checkpoint between Dong Thap – Long An to Tien Giang. Build a coastal road serving traffic and patrol.

+ System of roads on Phu Quoc: upgrade and build 3 new routes: Duong Dong - Cua Can, Suoi Cai - Ganh Dau, Bai Thom - Ganh Dau.

+ Rural traffic: Develop roads for motor rural vehicles that lead to commune centers and connect with the traffic network of the districts and provinces; ensure smooth traffic; every road must have 2 lanes; do not connect internal urban roads directly with highways.

+ Urban traffic:

. Build a network of urban roads according to approved urban planning. Develop public traffic within urban areas in each province, bus routes from province centers to districts, industrial parks, ports, airports, train stations, plantations, and checkpoints.

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. Build bus stations at the key urban areas of provinces, districts, and communes. Bus stations must meet standards and be connected with markets, docks, and airports.  Freight yards are located near warehouses, industrial parks, roads, railroads, ports, and airports.

+ Bridges and ferries:

My Thuan bridge and Can Tho bridge along Highway 1A; Cao Lanh bridge and Vam Cong bridge, Ham Luong bridge (Ho Chi Minh trail); Dai Ngai bridge and Co Chien bridge (Highway 60) connecting Nam Mang Thit and Ca Mau peninsula (upgrade existing ferry stations); Hong Ngu bridge and Tan Chau bridge route N1 (use ferries in stage 1); My Loi bridge over Vam Co Lon river on Highway 50 connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta.

- Waterway traffic:

+ Sea traffic: dredge the following river segments: the segment of Hau river crossing Dinh An estuary, the segment of Tien river crossing Tieu and Ham Luong estuaries, the segment of Cua Lon river crossing Bo De estuary, the channel to Hon Chong port and Binh Tri port; channel for sea-going vessel crossing Quan Chanh Bo channel.

+ River traffic:

. Grade I: Tieu estuary – Cambodia; Dinh An estuary – Tan Chau.

. Grade III: Ho Chi Minh City – Ca Mau (crossing Xa No channel), Ho Chi Minh City – Kien Luong (crossing Lap Vo channel), Ho Chi Minh City – Ca Mau (coastal route), Ho Chi Minh City – Kien Luong (Thap Muoi channel), Ho Chi Minh City – Moc Hoa (Vam Co Tay river), Phuoc Xuyen channel - channel 28, Rach Gia - Ca Mau, Vung Tau - Thi Vai – Mekong Delta.

. Grade IV: Moc Hoa – Ha Tien. Open coastal routes to major ports in Ho Chi Minh City area to relieve the burden on Cho Gao channel. Extend speedboat routes along the North – South coast to the ports along East Sea and West Sea in Mekong Delta.  Invest in expanding Cho Gao channel with embankments to prevent landslide; a new channel will be dug 3 km to the East from the old Cho Gao channel. Upgrade Nguyen Van Tiep channel; dig a channel along the borderline that connects to Vinh Te channel and So Ha channel in order to improve traffic, national defense and security.

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. Major ports in Can Tho: Hoang Dieu, Tra Noc, O Mon, Binh Thuy and Cai Cui ports.

. Multi-purpose and dedicated ports in the region:

+ Tien river: Tra Cu – Tra Vinh; Dai Ngai – Soc Trang; Binh Minh – Vinh Long; Nam Cai Cui – Hau Giang for ships of 1 ÷ 20,000 DWT; My Thoi – An Giang; Lap Vo – Dong Thap for ships of 5,000 ÷ 10,000 DWT The primary ship channel crosses Quan Chanh Bo channel – Song Hau.

+ Tien river: Cao Lanh, Sa Dec – Dong Thap; My Tho – Tien Giang; Vinh Thai – Vinh Long. Primary ship channel crosses Tieu estuary.

+ On Cai Lon river: Nam Can – Ca Mau for ships of 3 ÷ 5,000 DWT; the ship channel crosses Bo De estuary.

+ Along West Sea: Hon Chong, Kien Luong – Kien Giang, for multi-purpose ships of 3 – 5,000 DWT, cargo ships of 5,000 ÷ 10,000 DWT; Bai No – Ha Tien, Ong Doc estuary – Ca Mau for cargo ships of 1 ÷ 3,000 DWT

+ Ships for large sea-going vessel outside Hau river estuary:

Keep studying the construction of a port for heavy ships (beyond the capacity of the estuary even after expansion) to serve export and import directly for the Mekong Delta, avoid transit through the ports in Group 5. It is planned to be located offshore Soc Trang to be convenient for supply of goods to Ca Mau peninsula.

- System of seaports in South East waters (Group 7):

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+ Nam Du archipelago: build a major port for large ships importing coals serving thermal power plants.

- River port system:

+ Major ports of the region are located in Cao Lanh, Long Xuyen, Vinh Long, Ca Mau.

+ Cargo ports: Tan An (new), Long Duc, Giao Long, An Phuoc, Long Hung, Nga Nam, Cai Con, Vi Thanh (new), Tan Chau (new), Binh Long, Tac Cau, Ho Phong (new), Bac Lieu, Ong Doc (new).

+ Passenger terminals: My Tho, Cao Lanh, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, Ben Tre, Long Xuyen, Chau Doc, Rach Gia, Ha Tien, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Nam Can, Ong Doc.

- Rail transport: build a new Saigon – My Tho railroad. In the future: My Tho – Can Tho – Ca Mau, Can Tho – Chau Doc, and Chau Doc – Phnom Penh.

- Air transport:

+ Upgrade Can Tho airport into an international airport. Upgrade Phu Quoc airport in Duong To into an international airport.

+ Ca Mau and Rach Gia airports are domestic airports.

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- Plan a system of multimodal transport and logistics in the following provinces: Tien Giang, Can Tho, An Giang, Ca Mau, Tra Vinh. Build logistics centers that connect various modals of transport (road, rail, waterway, air).

c) Water supply orientation:

- Water sources:

+ The primary water source is surface water of Hau river and Tien river and from the upstream of the rivers that are over 50 km from the sea.

+ Avoid mass extraction of underground water, unless no other sources are available.

- Forecast about water demand:

+ Urban areas: water supply is expected to reach 120 liters/person/24 hours. Clean water supply ratio is expected to reach 100% by 2020.

+ Rural areas: water supply is expected to reach 80-100 liters/person/24 hours. Clean water supply ratio is expected to reach 100% by 2020.

+ Industrial areas: water supply is expected to reach 40m³/day/hectare for 80% of the industrial area.

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- Water supply solutions:

By 2015:

Keep executing unfinished water plant and water supply station projects.

+ Focus on investment in completing and upgrading the water supply network. Improve the effectiveness of the existing water supply system, minimize water loss.

2015 – 2020 (building regional water supply works):

+ Build Hau River I water plant in Tan Thanh – Can Tho area; initial capacity Q1 = 500,000 m³/day; boosted capacity Q2 = 1,000,000 m³/day. This water plant is meant to serve the West corridor of Hau river and along the coast of East Sea.

+ Build Hau River II water plant in Long Xuyen – An Giang area; initial capacity Q1 = 1,000,000 m³/day; boosted capacity Q2 = 2,000,000 m³/day to serve Ca Mau peninsula and the coast of West Sea (Kien Giang, An Giang). Increase pumping station 1 to serve Hau River I water plan when saltwater exceeds Can Tho bridge.

+ Build Hau River III water plant in Chau Doc – An Giang area; initial capacity Q1 = 200,000 m³/day; boosted capacity Q2 = 500,000 m³/day to serve the North West, West corridor of Hau river, and the bordering area.

+ Build a surface water plant of Tien river in Cai Be – Tien Giang area; initial capacity Q1 = 200,000 m³/day (currently 170,000 m³/day) and boosted capacity Q2 = 800,000 – 1,000,000 m³/day to serve the area in the North of Tien river, the coast of East Sea, and the South West of Ho Chi Minh City (approximately 500,000 m³/day).

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- Electricity sources:

+ Existing power plants: Tra Noc (193.5 MW), Ca Mau Gas – Electricity – Fertilizer (total capacity of generating sets 1 and 2 is 1,500 MW). Power plants to be built: O Mon power plan with capacity of 1,200 MW in O Mon district - Can Tho province; Kien Luong thermal power plant with capacity of 4,400 MW in Kien Giang province; Hau Giang thermal power plant with capacity of 5,200 MW; Tra Vinh thermal power plant with capacity of 4,400 MW in Duyen Hai district; Soc Trang thermal power plant within capacity of 4,400 MW in Long Phu district - Soc Trang province; Long An thermal power plant with capacity of 1,200 MW in Can Duoc, Long An province.

+ Total capacity of existing and future thermal power plant is 22,500 MW, which is sufficient to supply the whole region.

- Transmission line: build and upgrade 500 KV, 220 KV, 110 KV high-voltage grid;

- Use of other sources of energy: study, build wind farms in Phu Quoc and islands in Kien Giang, Ca Mau; study, develop solar energy, wind energy, biogas, and other forms of energy, in remote areas, coastal areas, islands, etc.

dd) Orientation of wastewater drainage, collection and management of solid wastes, and cemeteries:

- Wastewater drainage:

+ The wastewater drainage system must be uniformly built in each basin, including drainage system and treatment plants. Wastewater must be properly treated before being discharged into rivers, channels.

+ Industrial factories, service establishments that generate toxic wastewater must have internal treatment stations before discharging wastewater into common urban sewer system.

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+ 20% - 30% of wastewater shall be reused for watering plants, cleaning streets, and other uses in urban areas and industrial areas.

- Orientation of collection and management of solid wastes:

+ Reduce, minimize solid wastes at sources; recycle and reuse useful materials.

+ Encourage garbage classification in rural households. Collect and treat wastes according to environmental safety standards.

+ Leachate treatment stations must be treated landfills and treatment plants before being discharged into rivers, channels.

+ The rate of collection and treatment of solid wastes in urban and industrial areas is expected to reach 90% by 2015 and 100% by 2020.

+ Build waste treatment zone of provinces with of area of 40 – 50 hectares and distance of 30 – 40 km from the urban areas. Build waste treatment zone of districts with of area of 10 – 20 hectares and distance of 10 km from the towns.

+ Use combined treatment technologies (clean burial – recycling + treatment + incineration) and collection, treatment of leachate. Landfills must be located in accordance with regulations on management of hazardous wastes.

- Cemetery planning: people’s cemeteries, cemetery parks, etc. : 100 – 200 hectares in area, 40 – 50 km in range; district and inter-district cemeteries shall combine burial and cremation with an area of 30 – 50 hectares and convenient for both road and waterway transport.

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- Strategy management:

+ Use land and natural resources reasonably and conformably with technical standards and environment protection strategy (industry, agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, etc).

+ Localize, restore protection forests, coastal mangrove forests, national forests, distinctive ecological regions and landscapes (U Minh, Cham Chin, Phu Quoc, Ha Tien, Dong Thap Muoi …) and include them in the long-term land use planning.

+ Localize the areas for management of wastes that affect the water sources of Tien river and Hau river. Make a map for assessing underground water reserve serving regional management and formulation of use plan, etc.

+ Manage liquid pollutants (household wastewater, industrial wastewater, and agriculture wastewater); solid wastes (collection, transport, and treatment of household wastes, medical wastes, and industrial wastes); sources of noise and air pollution (production, traffic, construction, etc); construction of cemeteries.  

+ Control the elements that affect the environment in agricultural production and aquaculture areas.

- Focus on improvement of awareness of environment in the community for the people to voluntary participate in environmental protection.

- Specific solutions:

+ Integrate economic development, construction planning, specialized planning, and environmental planning; manage wastes in general; build waste treatment centers in provinces, urban areas, and production areas.

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+ Make reports on environmental impact assessment, environment management of projects and especially in sensitive areas to minimize or prevent construction of projects that affect distinctive ecological regions, sanctuaries (coastal protective forests, island forests, mangrove forests, water source protection area, etc.).

8. Favored programs and projects:

a) Infrastructure programs that facilitate regional development

- Development of national routes along Highway 1A, Ho Chi Minh trail (N2), Ho Chi Minh City – Can Tho - Ca Mau freeway, Highway 50 – Highway 60 freeway, borderline route N1; construction of bridges over Tien river and Hau river on these routes.

- Development (upgrade, continued construction) of horizontal routes crossing Highway 62, Highway 30, Highway 53, Highway 57, and the routes along Hau river, Highway 91, Can Tho – An Giang – Phnom Penh freeway, Bac Lieu – Kien Giang freeway.

- Development of inter-regional freeways.

- Development of Ho Chi Minh City – My Tho – Can Tho railroad system.

- Development of provincial and urban routes in connection with the traffic network of the region.

- Development of inner-provincial and inter-provincial public transportation.

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- Upgrade of the system of seaports and river ports.

- Completion of airport system.

- Development of widespread energy supply and regional supply centers.

- Development of water supply systems and regional water plants.

b) Improvement of life quality and environmental protection programs

- Development of urban areas in the center with Can Tho as the epicenter of the whole region.

- Development of urban areas in the North East and South West.

- Development of international, national, regional public service works.

- General urban upgrade programs.

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- Programs for development of tourist attractions, landscapes, domestic and international ecological tours.

- Development of housing in flood areas, for low-earners, and industrial zones.

Article 2.

- The Ministry of Construction shall announce the Construction Planning of Mekong Delta by 2020 with the orientation towards 2050 and organize the implementation of urban planning according to applicable regulations of law.

- The People’s Committees of provinces in the region shall review, revise, or implement their Urban Planning according to the construction planning of Mekong Delta.

Article 3. This Decision comes into force from the day on which it is signed.

The Minister of Construction, Presidents of the People’s Committees of Can Tho, Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, An Giang, Hau Giang, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, heads of relevant agencies are responsible for the implementation of this Decision.

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