The Chairman of the People's Committee and the Chief of Police of the ward or commune must take responsibility if the sidewalk is re-encroached.

(Baonghean) - That is the affirmation of comrade Nguyen Hoai An - Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee about maintaining the results of the 2017 sidewalk clearance campaign.

PV:Could you tell us about the importance of trade and services to Vinh city and the contribution of sidewalk businesses to the annual city budget?

Union members coordinate with the police force to resolutely handle violations of sidewalk corridors. Photo: My Nga

Comrade Nguyen Hoai An:In the current economic structure of the city, the proportion of trade and services accounts for over 65%. The development orientation in the future is that this proportion will be even larger, which is enough to show the importance of trade and services to the city. According to current regulations, production and business on the sidewalk is not allowed; according to unofficial statistics, there are currently about 9,000 households with business establishments on the street in the city and about more than half of them have their main income from these shops and stores.

PV:Currently, the situation of encroachment and re-encroachment of sidewalks for business and occupation in Vinh city is quite common. What is your opinion on this issue?

Comrade Nguyen Hoai An:As mentioned, doing business on the sidewalk is not allowed. In Plan 136 that the Provincial People's Committee recently issued, this is also reminded; however, in reality, this has happened in the past, the city launched a campaign to clear the area, but after a while it was re-encroached upon, then cleared again, and re-encroached upon... We have not yet come up with a sustainable solution, while some sidewalk services are supported by the culture of "convenience"; for example, on the way to work, stopping by the sidewalk to buy a handful of sticky rice to eat at the office, on the way home from work, stopping by the sidewalk to buy a bunch of vegetables... The city must be determined to rectify and change this perception.

PV:It is known that this April the city will launch a campaign to clear the traffic safety corridor. What is the specific plan, comrade?

Comrade Nguyen Hoai An:This clearance campaign can be said to be “heavenly timed and favorable”. The strong participation of media agencies has created widespread support in public opinion. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are acting very resolutely, everyone has seen it; on the other hand, the Provincial People's Committee is directing the simultaneous implementation to create a movement throughout the province, so I am sure that this clearance will be agreed upon by all classes, including those doing business on the sidewalks, and will have less opposition.

According to the schedule, after focusing on propaganda, mobilizing self-clearance, and preparing necessary conditions, from April 15, enforcement will begin for cases of violations that do not clear themselves. We hope that enforcement will be less because after propaganda and mobilization to each house, everyone will know whether they have violated or not; if there are violations, they will clear themselves. After the clearance, the work will be to maintain the results. The city will establish teams to regularly inspect and review to maintain the clearance results and prevent re-encroachment.

Authorities seized illegal billboards encroaching on sidewalks and traffic safety corridors. Photo: Nguyen Son

Currently, Vinh city has assigned specific tasks to each department, office, unit, ward and commune from reviewing, adjusting and supplementing the system of traffic signs, direction signs, traffic organization plans; reviewing and re-planning the locations of stops and scattered parking lots along the streets (temporary parking on the roadway, lowering the sidewalk to create scattered parking lots...); the implementation period is from now until the end of 2017.

At the same time, advise the City People's Committee to send an official dispatch to agencies and units in the area requesting a plan to arrange parking for officials, civil servants, public employees, workers and guests coming to work in the headquarters premises; if there is not enough space, propose and agree with the city on the arrangement plan. Issue an official dispatch before April 5, 2017 and agree on the plan before May 15, 2017... The City Police prepare a warehouse to collect tools, vehicles... in violation (the part that the police force handles, collects and keeps), install and manage cameras to serve both the purpose of urban order management and the purpose of social order and security.

For the People's Committees of wards and communes and the City Urban Order Management Team, prepare warehouses to collect tools, vehicles, etc. that violate the law (the part that the police force will handle, collect and keep); prepare other conditions and means to serve the clearance under the responsibility of the locality and unit; mobilize forces, including relevant civil servants of the ward, commune, police, militia, civil defense, and mass organizations of the ward and commune (Fatherland Front, Youth Union, Women's Union, Veterans Association)... to directly dismantle and clear violations of road, railway, and urban sidewalk safety corridors in the ward and commune under their management. And from April 15, 2017, the People's Committees of wards and communes will simultaneously carry out enforcement and clearance of violations that are not cleared on their own.

PV:Could you tell us how this campaign is different from previous ones? What are the requirements for clearing the sidewalks this time?

Comrade Nguyen Hoai An:This campaign requires higher requirements. It is necessary to direct and organize the implementation of drastic and synchronous solutions; pay attention to preventing re-encroachment after clearance; ensure the participation of the entire political system in urban order management. Assign specific tasks; attach responsibility to the heads of Party committees, authorities, agencies and organizations with the effectiveness of urban order management. Strictly prohibit all acts of illegal intervention and obstruction in the process of encroachment clearance and prevention of re-encroachment of traffic safety corridors. The city also focuses on ensuring the legitimate rights of the people; ensuring absolute safety for forces and vehicles participating in clearance; not allowing mistakes and complicated incidents related to security and order to occur.

A long-fallen electric pole on Tran Huy Lieu Street, Vinh City. Photo CL

Comrade Nguyen Hoai An:After the clearance, the city hands over the streets or the Working Groups hand over the areas to the People's Committees of wards and communes. The Chairmen of the People's Committees of wards and communes shall organize the management of the clean streets and areas that have been handed over, and continue to conduct inspections, handle and prevent re-encroachment. The Chairmen of the People's Committees and the heads of police of wards and communes shall be responsible for detecting, preventing and promptly handling acts of re-encroachment, and shall be responsible to the City People's Committee if re-encroachment occurs.

PV:How will the work of maintaining the results after the clearance be, comrade?

The People's Committees of wards and communes coordinate with unions, units, and socio-political organizations to organize member units to register to participate in patrolling, detecting, and preventing acts of re-encroachment on at least one route according to the "self-managed road" model; "civilized, exemplary" route section... The City Police and Urban Order Management Team, based on their assigned functions and tasks, develop specific plans to mobilize forces and means to coordinate with the People's Committees of wards and communes in patrolling, controlling, and preventing re-encroachment; use camera data to handle violations of re-encroachment.

However, in order for Vinh city to become truly civilized and modern, the awareness and participation of each citizen living and working in the city is extremely important.

PV:Thank you comrade!

Pearl

(Perform)