Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy receives citizens at regular session in November 2022

Overview of the citizen reception. Photo: Thanh Duy

Also attending were members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee: Le Duc Cuong - Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Organization Board; Ngoc Kim Nam - Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Board; Ho Le Ngoc - Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Board; Le Hong Vinh - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, along with leaders of a number of relevant departments, agencies, branches and localities.

Mr. Truong Van Huu, representing 16 households in Dong Nang hamlet, Ha Son commune, Quy Hop district, proposed to consider adjusting the administrative boundary line between Ha Son commune (Quy Hop) and Giai Xuan commune (Tan Ky) in accordance with the spirit of Decision No. 513/QD-TTg dated May 2, 2012 of the Prime Minister approving the Project "Completing and modernizing administrative boundary records and maps and building a database on administrative boundaries" (Project 513).

Citizen Truong Van Huu, representing 16 households in Dong Nang hamlet, Ha Son commune, Quy Hop district, spoke. Photo: Thanh Duy

Accordingly, Mr. Huu expressed his wish to transfer 59.13 hectares of agricultural land within the administrative boundary of Giai Xuan commune (Tan Ky) to the administrative boundary of Ha Son commune (Quy Hop) to facilitate people in the production process. At the same time, he requested to issue a Certificate of land use rights for stable and long-term production, and also as a basis for citizens to fulfill their financial obligations to the State.

At the meeting, the leaders of Ha Son commune (Quy Hop) and the Chairman of Quy Hop district People's Committee, as well as the leaders of Giai Xuan commune (Tan Ky) and the Chairman of Tan Ky district People's Committee made statements clarifying the origin and current status of the above land area, and at the same time, clearly reported the coordination process of the two localities.

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Tung - Chairman of Quy Hop District People's Committee spoke at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

Previously, on October 17, 2016, the leaders of Ha Son and Giai Xuan communes and Tan Ky and Quy Hop districts signed a negotiation record to unify the administrative boundary between the two communes and proceeded to set up markers. Accordingly, this area belongs to Giai Xuan commune (Tan Ky). However, it was later discovered that there were 16 households of Ha Son commune (Quy Hop) that were producing stably on this area.

Regarding the origin of the land, according to the opinions of the leaders of the relevant localities at the citizen reception session, in addition to the land area previously reclaimed by the people of Ha Son commune, there is a part of the area that was transferred by 11 households of Tan Xuan commune (Tan Ky) to 4 households of Ha Son commune (Quy Hop) during the years 2016 and 2017. Currently, 16 households of Dong Nang hamlet, Ha Son commune are producing, there is no dispute. Geographically, this land area is closer to the center of Ha Son commune than the center of Giai Xuan commune.

Comrade Phan Van Giap - Chairman of Tan Ky District People's Committee spoke at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

Since March 2022, the People's Committee of Quy Hop district and the People's Committee of Tan Ky district have had many meetings with each other, but have not yet reached an agreement on how to handle the issue. The People's Committee of Quy Hop district proposed to transfer all 59.13 hectares of land to the administrative boundary of Ha Son commune. Meanwhile, the People's Committee of Tan Ky district still maintains the view of maintaining the status quo of the administrative boundary line that was negotiated and agreed upon by the authorities of Giai Xuan and Ha Son communes and Tan Ky and Quy Hop districts in 2016.

Afterwards, the Department of Home Affairs also chaired a meeting with the People's Committees of Quy Hop and Tan Ky districts to resolve the above issue, but afterwards, the two sides still could not agree on adjusting administrative boundaries.

Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee spoke at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

Speaking at the meeting, Permanent Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Le Hong Vinh stated that based on the current status of the 59.13 hectares of land, there is no dispute over land users, but purely over State management, therefore, the approach should be based on the principle of creating the most favorable conditions for the people.

Specifically, in response to the wishes of 16 households, it is necessary to calculate the distance of the land users' transportation system to the centers of Ha Son commune (Quy Hop) and Giai Xuan (Tan Ky) for handling.

Comrade Ho Le Ngoc - Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Department emphasized: 59.13 hectares are currently being produced by 16 households in Ha Son commune (Quy Hop) and there is no dispute. Therefore, he said that we should not delve too deeply into the origin of the above land area.

Comrade Ho Le Ngoc - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Committee spoke at the meeting with the people. Photo: Thanh Duy

Although the People's Committees of Tan Ky and Quy Hop districts have their own arguments to present their own views, in the end, according to comrade Ho Le Ngoc, this argument should be based on the handling point of view that it is most beneficial for the people. At the same time, regarding the handling point of view, it is necessary to look at the reality that the administrative boundary demarcation according to the previous Directive 364 in this area has had problems and limitations and is implementing Project 513 to adjust and overcome them. Based on that basis, the People's Committees of Quy Hop and Tan Ky districts need to coordinate to consider the wishes of the people.

Concluding the citizen reception session, based on the above analysis, especially showing the lack of thoroughness in the process of completing documents and placing markers to demarcate administrative boundaries in the two communes of Ha Son and Giai Xuan, which led to the failure to promptly detect the problem, Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy requested that the leaders of the two districts of Quy Hop and Tan Ky need to draw profound lessons, especially on the work contents related to the coordination relationship between the two localities and the people of the two localities, including the work of demarcating administrative boundaries, to avoid possible disputes.

Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy delivered a concluding speech at the citizen reception session. Photo: Thanh Duy

Going into the handling point of view, the head of the Provincial Party Committee analyzed: First of all, it must be most beneficial for the people. Although there may have been a transfer of part of the land area from the people of Tan Xuan commune (Tan Ky) to households in Ha Son commune (Quy Hop) in the above 59.13 hectares, the key point is that there is currently no dispute between households of the two districts of Tan Ky and Quy Hop.

At the same time, the handling must also come from the perspective of having convenience for the management of the area, management of people, ensuring security and order; as well as handling in case of natural disasters, fires, and disputes between people.

Along with that, it is very important that the current status of 59.13 hectares of land along the natural watershed (still remaining) is entirely located towards Ha Son commune (Quy Hop). In addition to the above 3 arguments, the province is currently implementing Project 513, so this is an opportunity to proceed with administrative boundary adjustment.

Based on the above 4 very important bases, Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy requested the leaders of Quy Hop and Tan Ky districts to coordinate to resolve the issue of administrative boundary demarcation between Ha Son commune and Giai Xuan commune within the next 2 months. If after that, the 2 localities still cannot agree on a plan, the province will assign the Department of Home Affairs, headed by the Department Director, to directly chair the working group with the 2 districts to handle the issue thoroughly.