The agricultural land in Neishang District, Yuanshan Township, Yilan County is going to be rezoned. Legislator Chen Jiaohua (left) and the convener of Yilan Xixi Alliance Kang Fangming (right) held a press conference today (9th) to plead for good land and good water , also named Yilan County Mayor Lin Zimiaobie to speculate on land by rezoning farmland.

(Provided by Legislator Chen Jiaohua Congress Office)

[Reporter Yang Chengyu/Taipei Report] Yuanshan Township in Yilan County is an important water source in the county. The groundwater is abundant and of good quality, supplying water for Yilan’s agriculture and people’s livelihood. Haoshui is facing a serious development crisis.

Times Power Legislator Chen Jiaohua held a press conference today (9th) with local environmental protection groups and farmers to plead for the fertile fields and good water in Yuanshan, and named Yilan County Mayor Lin Zimiao to protect the important water source of Lanyang Creek instead of destroying it. The way of water veins and affecting water quality is to fry the land.

Kang Fangming, the convener of Yilan Xixi Alliance, said bluntly that everyone knows that the rezoning of agricultural land in Yilan is an accomplice to the commercialization of agricultural land and the promotion of land speculation.

After the rezoning, not only may it face a large number of farmhouse development and possible pollution, but it will also turn the original century-old rural landscape "rag field" with local characteristics into a boring cement square field. Inner City Village, which has won the "Silver Medal" Gold Medal Rural Area The local leisure industry and opportunities for local creation that have been established with great difficulty may all be lost.

Please read on...

Kang Fangming explained that within the depth of the shallow subsurface aquifer within the redrawing area, the flow of water veins is extremely sensitive within 5 meters.

If the 190 hectares of farmland around the Shengou Water Purification Plant are rezoned for development, new agricultural roads, concrete irrigation and drainage roads, and land preparation will inevitably be carried out, which may completely change the underground hydrology and block the flow of shallow underground water; The development of farmhouses, the use of pesticides, household waste water, etc. may cause a lot of pollution.

The surface runoff from newly built agricultural roads and roads may accelerate the discharge of wastewater into irrigation waterways and infiltrate the soil, which may affect the deep ditch water purification plant and the surrounding groundwater pollution.

If so, it will directly affect the quality of water for people's livelihood in Yilan River North area.

Kang Fangming also mentioned that the Yilan County Government’s recent drilling reports for road widening nearby indicated that the groundwater level around the area is only 0.3 to 1.8 meters deep. It is recommended that the highest groundwater level be located on the ground surface when considering short-term conditions.

With reference to the agricultural land rezoning carried out by the county government in the Shiliujie area of ​​Jiaoxi Township in the past two to three years, it is similar to the slightly sloped terrain of Yuanshan.

When dealing with the height difference of the agricultural land, the project uses concrete as layered retaining walls; considering that the water layer below Yuanshan is very shallow, it will inevitably affect the hydrology of the area.

Chen Jiaohua pointed out that there is no reservoir in Yilan County, and the water supply depends entirely on abundant groundwater sources. However, the shallow underground water around the deep ditch tap water park that supplies domestic water for 220,000 people in the north of Yilan River and irrigation water for Yilan City and Yuanshan Township may be threatened. to the destruction of various development behaviors.

She asked the Water Conservancy Department to conduct a complete assessment of the "Yilan Yuanshan Groundwater Resources Conservation Survey and Evaluation" plan to be carried out this year; the Yilan County Government, the development authority, should also propose specific measures to preserve the vital resources that Yilan people depend on for their livelihood. source of water.

Chen Jiaohua said that the surrounding area of ​​the Shengou Waterworks Park, which absorbs the abundant underground water, plans to carry out development projects such as agricultural land rezoning and tourist factory expansion, but no relevant regulations have been established based on hydrological surveys to protect water resources from being damaged by development.

She appealed to the Yilan County government not to release development hastily, but to cooperate with the central government to confirm the fragility of groundwater sources in this area and the limits of allowable development as soon as possible, so as to preserve precious water resources for future generations.

Li Yujing, a small farmer who has worked on the land for more than 10 years and a representative of Yilan Guardian Workshop, emphasized that it is necessary to carefully consider whether there is a need for rezoning.

She has never had any problems with irrigation or getting in and out of farm machinery since she started farming.

If the farmland is rezoned, it will be divided by roads and fragmented, and the farmland of the same landlord will be scattered everywhere, which will not be conducive to the use of larger adjacent farmland for farming.

In fact, the biggest problem encountered by local farmers is the houses. After the construction, the impact on sunshine and wind shear is the reason that affects the yield.

She reiterated that farming has not been affected by non-rezoning of agricultural land, and that farmers attach the most importance to water sources and water quality, so she earnestly appeals to the county government not to cause damage by rezoning water sources.

Nian Liyu, director of the Taiwan Water Resources Conservation Alliance, suggested that Yilan has such excellent resources, and the Geological Survey Institute has designated this area as a sensitive area for groundwater recharge. The geological and hydrological surveys of the base should be carried out, and stricter development regulations should be established to protect this resource. .

She also appealed not to be short-sighted and only see the skyrocketing benefits of land after rezoning, but forget the natural resources bestowed by God.

Regarding the opinions of all parties, representatives from the Land Affairs Office of the Yilan County Government responded that the rezoning was based on caring for farmers rather than development.

In 2019, the Yuanshan Township Office reported that it planned to carry out farmland rezoning, and according to the local willingness survey, more than half of the farmers agreed, so the county government started the relevant operations.

However, because there is a deep ditch water purification plant nearby to draw water, before a full understanding of the underground hydrology, it will not be rashly redrawn.

He appealed to the Water Conservancy Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs to be sympathetic to the financial situation of Yilan County Government and assist in the underground hydrological survey of the area.