Lao Cai flood victims seek compensation A dam with dirty water has leaked and flooded farmers' fields and ponds in Lao Cai province. The farmers say the owners of the dam have not paid them out enough for their losses. They also say that they are also worried about diseases that the dirty water may have brought. The reservoir is owned by the Cam Duong Ore-Sifting Plant, which is part of the Viet Nam Apatite Co Ltd, and is located in Ta Phoi Commune. - Photo VNA LAO CAI (VNS) - A waste water reservoir in the northern province of Lao Cai burst at the beginning of last month, flooding local residents' fields, ponds and wells, but they are yet to receive compensation. The reservoir is owned by the Cam Duong Ore-Sifting Plant, which is part of the Viet Nam Apatite Co Ltd, and is located in Ta Phoi Commune. In a meeting with local authorities a day after the incident, a representative from the Viet Nam Apatite Co Ltd said the reservoir's dam had cracked, causing the water to leak following heavy rains. The breach was 6m in length and 3m in height. Nearly 10,000cu.m of waste water and a large volume of mud swept into nearly 1ha of fields, filling two fish ponds and three clean water wells. However, local authorities did not agree with the explanation. An inspection showed that the company increased the dam's height by six metres without telling competence agencies. Nong Van Leng, chairman of the Ta Phoi Commune People's Committee, said it had not rained on that day. The new part of the dam was unsafe and was the cause of the incident, he said. Worried residents Luong Van Doan, head of Trang Village in the commune, said that they had not been compensated for the damage caused by the breach, and the commune had only 5ha of fields remaining. The compensation offered by the company was also too low, at VND90,000 (US$4.2) per square metre, whereas each square metre can bring in VND1.6 million ($76) per year. "Compensation is only a small thing. We're more worried that in the long term, the waste water contaminate the wells and cause diseases," said Doan. The village has 19 households located about 50m from the plant. The plant has a pumping station to take water from a nearby stream for sifting ore. Doan said water from the wells used to be pure, but since 2006 when the plant opened, it had become contaminated. Farm productivity had decreased andlivestock were prone to sickness. The village reported the problem to city authorities and asked the plant to build a clean water supply system for residents. "The plant took water samples for testing and said it was safe to use, but we did not agree. We are sure the work they do involves chemicals substances, and the plant keeps releasing waste water. This affects our water resources," said Doan. Chairman Leng said the company should compensate residents quickly otherwise the situation could become more serious. - VNS GLOSSARY  A waste water reservoir in the northern province of Lao Cai burst at the beginning of last month, flooding local residents' fields, ponds and wells, but they are yet to receive compensation. A waste water reservoir is a place where waste water is stored. When somebody pays someone else out to make up for a loss they have suffered, that payment is compensation. The breach was 6m in length and 3m in height. A breach is a gap or a crack. Nearly 10,000cu.m of waste water and a large volume of mud swept into nearly 1ha of fields, filling two fish ponds and three clean water wells. Cu m stands for cubic metres, which is used to measure volume. An inspection showed that the company increased the dam's height by six metres without telling competence agencies. Competence agencies are authorities that check if businesses are qualified and capable of doing certain jobs. " We're more worried that in the long term, the waste water contaminate the wells and cause diseases," said Doan. The long term means a long way into the future. If waste water contaminates wells, it makes them so dirty they can cause harm. The plant has a pumping station to take water from a nearby stream for sifting ore. Ore is rock that contains something that is useful. In order to get this useful substance, it must be taken out of the ore. Part of the process may be sifting. Doan said water from the wells used to be pure, but since 2006 when the plant opened, it had become contaminated. Farm productivity had decreased andlivestock were prone to sickness. Farm animals such as buffalo, cows, horses, sheep and goats are all livestock.  If livestock is prone to sickness, it can easily fall ill.