When will the residents in the area where the Song Lam Cement Grinding Plant Project is being implemented be relocated?

To implement the project, starting in 2016, the plan to relocate 9 households (now 11 households) living within the affected area of ​​the cement grinding plant was put into action. At that time, the local authorities and relevant units proceeded with marking boundaries, surveying land, inventorying assets, and developing a resettlement plan in accordance with regulations. A resettlement area with 18 plots of land, each expected to be approximately 300m², was also established in the field area, along the road leading to Hai Thinh hamlet.

However, despite the meticulously planned resettlement area, which has received tens of billions of dong in investment, it remains just empty plots of land. Meanwhile, right next to the crushing plant, residents live in a highly polluted environment, their houses are dilapidated but they are not allowed to repair or rebuild them.

Mr. Le Van Dien, a resident eligible for resettlement here, said: After the relocation and resettlement plan for the Song Lam Cement Grinding Plant project was announced, the local authorities at the time conducted land surveys, inventoried the family's assets, and announced that resettlement would be arranged soon. Even a portion of his family's agricultural land was reclaimed for the construction of the resettlement area.

However, after all these years, his family still lives in the old, dilapidated single-story house. Because they can't rebuild it, Mr. Dien's family recently had to replace all the damaged roof tiles with a temporary corrugated iron roof.

Cement dust, noise from the grinding plant and seaport make life even more difficult for the residents. On sunny days, fine dust is carried by the wind into their homes, clinging to walls and furniture. "Not only are our houses dilapidated, but the living environment is also very polluted. But we don't know when we will be able to move to a new place," Mr. Dien said sadly.

Upon arriving at the already constructed resettlement area, it was readily apparent that basic infrastructure such as roads, low-voltage power lines, and drainage systems had been built. However, due to the presence of high-voltage power lines running through the area, many residents expressed concerns about safety. Therefore, in addition to completing the infrastructure, residents also requested that the high-voltage power lines be relocated as soon as possible before moving to their new homes.

This needs to be resolved definitively as soon as possible.

According to our investigation, the resettlement project for the Song Lam Cement Grinding Plant was previously under the responsibility of the Land Compensation and Resettlement Council of Nghi Loc District (formerly). However, after the administrative reorganization, this task was transferred to the People's Committee of Hai Loc Commune. Since then, the entire responsibility for completing the procedures related to compensation, support for land clearance, and resettlement for the 11 affected households has been carried out by the commune-level government.

Mr. Nguyen Van Chung, head of Hai Thinh hamlet, also acknowledged the difficulties faced by households subject to relocation and resettlement for the Cement Grinding Plant Project. In particular, at many meetings with constituents of the People's Councils at all levels, the issue of the delayed relocation of 11 households in Hai Thinh hamlet has been a frequently raised concern among residents. The Provincial People's Council and the Provincial People's Committee have acknowledged the issue and promised to address it, but to date, these requests remain unresolved.

Mr. Chung stated that after the two-tiered local government system came into operation, the relocation and resettlement process was transferred to the commune. However, there has been no progress to date. Residents are impatient because living near the project area is dusty, their houses are damaged, and they leak when it rains. They hope that the authorities and relevant units will soon resolve the issue so that the people can have stable lives.

Regarding this issue, on September 24, 2025, during a meeting with Song Lam Nghe An Cement Joint Stock Company and local authorities, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Hoang Phu Hien assigned the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board to take the lead and coordinate with Hai Loc commune to expedite land clearance and resettlement for affected households. However, significant progress has yet to be made.

According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thi, Chairman of the Hai Loc Commune People's Committee, the biggest bottleneck is the compensation and land clearance costs. The total estimated cost is 40-50 billion VND, far exceeding the commune's budget capacity, but the decision on which agency will be responsible for payment remains unclear. The commune has repeatedly worked with and discussed with the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board to request guidance, but has yet to receive an official response. "If we proceed with the plan where Song Lam Cement Joint Stock Company advances compensation and land clearance costs, then gradually deducts them from annual tax obligations, then a document must be submitted to the competent authorities for consideration and approval," Mr. Thi emphasized.

Clearly, resolving the resettlement issue for the 11 households in the Song Lam Cement Grinding Plant area in Hai Loc commune is an urgent task, ensuring both the rights of the people and creating favorable conditions for the project to continue implementing important components.

To definitively resolve this issue, local authorities and relevant units need close and responsible coordination to prevent the situation from prolonging and affecting people's lives and project progress. Once solutions are implemented synchronously, people will soon stabilize their lives, the project will operate smoothly, contributing to local economic development, strengthening community trust, and creating favorable conditions for land clearance for subsequent projects.