Need to quickly handle the chaotic situation at Pha Lai tourist site (Con Cuong)

Defying the ban

In early August, we were at Pha Lai Dam in Mon Son Commune (Con Cuong), nearly a month after the deadline set by the Con Cuong District People's Committee for the owners of the floating restaurants to dismantle everything. However, here, the reporter witnessed a tourist car carrying dozens of guests stopping at the parking lot leading to the floating restaurant, the restaurant staff still enthusiastically introduced and welcomed guests. Right above the dam area, the local government has erected a corrugated iron fence to prevent the floating restaurants from receiving guests. However, this fence still leaves an exit and entrance, so guests can easily come and go.

According to the report of the People's Committee of Mon Son commune sent to the People's Committee of Con Cuong district on August 1, the situation of picking up and dropping off passengers by inland waterway, picking up passengers, and eating and drinking on floating rafts at Pha Lai dam is still happening. Pha Lai dam is located on the poetic Giang river, with charming scenery, chosen by many tourists as a destination. Grasping this need, some households have started to build floating restaurants and buy boats to take passengers to explore the Giang river.

According to Mr. Luong Van Hoa - Chairman of the People's Committee of Mon Son commune, this spontaneous business is increasingly expanding, not ensuring safety as well as affecting the environment, security and order. "There have been a number of waterway accidents, fortunately without causing human casualties. Once, a large rock fell from the mountain onto a floating restaurant... In addition, to expand their services, some floating restaurant owners have encroached on protective forest land to build toilets. The authorities have failed to remind them, and when they are inspected during the day, they secretly operate at night," said Mr. Hoa.

In order to develop tourism at Pha Lai Dam, in 2017, Con Cuong district called on a business to invest with commitments to create favorable conditions. This business established a project and was approved by Nghe An Provincial People's Committee for investment policy and agreed to land allocation. The business has both built and exploited... However, the above-mentioned spontaneous private floating restaurants have operated on the land and water surface that has been allocated to the business. Therefore, there have been many conflicts between the business and the restaurant owners.

According to Mr. Nguyen Que Su - Deputy Director of the Department of Transport, in this area there are currently 3 floating houses with a complex of 6 floating houses belonging to 3 households (area of ​​about 90m2/house) providing food and beverage services on the water. These floating houses operate spontaneously.

There are also 42 inland waterway vehicles owned by the people of Mon Son commune participating in passenger transport for tourism and sightseeing on Giang river, with capacity from 8 to 15 CV. Among these vehicles, many are not registered, inspected or have expired inspection. Some vehicle operators have not been granted professional certificates for operating inland waterway vehicles.

Need to handle soon

Discussing this issue, the leader of the People's Committee of Con Cuong district said that on April 24, the People's Committee of the district organized a dialogue to resolve difficulties and problems in the Pha Lai dam area. Then, on June 29, the interdisciplinary inspection team of the Provincial People's Committee on inland waterway passenger transport and water recreation activities also worked with businesses and households operating passenger transport by waterway, and food and beverage businesses on floating rafts in Pha Lai.

In order to build Pha Lai tourist wharf in accordance with regulations, soon put tourism activities into order, ensure safety for visitors, on June 30, Con Cuong District People's Committee issued a document requesting that no later than July 10, all passenger transport activities by inland waterway in the Pha Lai dam area must be stopped. For vehicles that meet circulation standards, they are allowed to move to operate at Pha Lai 2 passenger wharf.

In addition, the People's Committee of Con Cuong district also requested the owners of floating rafts operating in the Pha Lai dam area to hand over the water surface area on the Giang River to the People's Committee of the district before July 10. At the same time, it requested the owners of floating rafts who have signed a commitment to voluntarily dismantle construction works, architectural works, supplies, materials, goods, machinery, equipment, etc. in the Pha Lai dam area before July 8.

According to Mr. Luong Van Hoa - Chairman of Mon Son Commune People's Committee, the owners of floating rafts as well as many other watercraft owners later did not comply with these requests. Therefore, on July 14, the local government was forced to build a fence at Pha Lai dam area (with a space for entry and exit, a door, and a lock). At the same time, it announced the temporary suspension of tourism activities at the dam, instructing people and tourists who need to cruise to move to Pha Lai 2 wharf.

However, some inland waterway vehicles have not yet moved to Pha Lai 2 wharf as required. Floating rafts have not taken any action to dismantle or move materials out of the Pha Lai dam area. The situation of picking up and dropping off passengers by inland waterway, picking up passengers, and eating and drinking on floating rafts at Pha Lai dam is still taking place.

Faced with that situation, on July 28, the Mon Son commune authorities sent forces to lock the gate and fence here, but met with fierce opposition from the owners of the floating rafts. Therefore, despite building a fence, it was still useless, because visitors still freely entered and exited the floating rafts. According to the reporter's investigation, previously, on July 18, the People's Committee of Mon Son commune had a report, in which it proposed that the People's Committee of Con Cuong district direct the district police to directly inspect and strictly handle inland waterway vehicles that do not meet operating conditions, in order to prevent these vehicles from picking up and dropping off passengers. At the same time, it was requested that the District People's Committee continue to implement solutions to the problems pointed out in the Plan to solve problems at Pha Lai issued on October 25, 2022, but the District People's Committee did not give any direction.

Discussing this issue, a leader of the People's Committee of Con Cuong district said that the district's viewpoint is to resolutely and strictly handle violations.

According to the leader of the Department of Transport, the floating rafts operating for food and beverage business at Pha Lai dam are not inland waterway vehicles according to regulations and are a type of temporary construction structure that has not been regulated by law regarding design, technical safety inspection, and operation registration. The People's Committee of Con Cuong district will direct the functional forces to suspend operations and have a plan to dismantle them...

The Department of Transport also requested the People's Committee of Con Cuong district to review the status of watercraft serving passengers on Pha Lai dam. Vehicles must have full inspection stamps, registration plates, signs notifying the number of passengers, and propaganda signs "Passengers must wear life jackets or carry flotation devices". Resolutely suspend the operation of passenger wharves and watercraft that do not meet the conditions and safety standards for inland waterway traffic. Arrange local police forces to coordinate with the Traffic Inspectorate to thoroughly handle passenger wharves and illegal passenger transport vehicles.