NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Water is being diverted from the Lam Ta Khong dam in Si Khiu district to Non Sung district where all water sources have dried up, governor Wichian Chantaranothai said on Sunday.
Mr Wichian said an area covering eight tambons in Non Sung district is suffering from serious water shortages as all normal sources have dried up. To alleviate the problem, provincial authorities tried to deliver water by truck from Bung Phutsa, a reservoir in Muang district, to tambon Kho Hong and other tambons in Non Sung district..
But the authorities have been blocked by residents living around the Bung Phutsa reservoir who want to save the water for themselves, he said. They therefore arranged for water from the Lam Ta Khong dam to be diverted to the affected tambons in Non Sung district via irrigation canals. The diversion began on Saturday evening and the water is expected to reach Non Sung district on Sunday afternoon.
Aside from Non Sung district, a survey revealed that about 297 villages across the province would soon face serious water shortages, prompting the province to draw up a relief plan, Mr Wichian said. The emergency measures include dredging reservoirs and swamps, drilling more artesian wells and seeking financial support from the central government.