Details on the problems and difficulties in compensation for migration and resettlement inKhe Bo Hydropower Project, was reported by Nghe An Newspaper in the article“The Standing Committee of Tuong Duong District Party Committee requested Khe Bo Hydropower Plant to thoroughly resolve the long-standing problems and difficulties.(Nghe An Electronic Newspaper, November 16, 2020).As Mr. Phan Duc Son - Chairman of Tuong Duong District People's Committee, counted, there are "7 major contents with 45 existing problems in 6 communes and towns".

Working session between the Standing Committee of Tuong Duong District Party Committee and Vietnam Electricity Development Joint Stock Company. Photo: Nhat Lan

These are the outstanding issues regarding compensation, support and resettlement; compensation for the difference between the departure and arrival locations; the setting of dense markers and the adjustment of the reservoir contour with discrepancies between the approved documents and the reality; the adjustment of the initial planning documents with discrepancies for resettlement areas; the provision of cadastral records to serve the preparation of documents for granting land use right certificates for households affected by flooding of the hydroelectric reservoir (requested by the District People's Committee since 2018 but not yet implemented by the investor). Among them, there are hundreds of households and hundreds of land plots of all types that have not yet had their compensation and support documents prepared; or have not yet agreed on the plan, so they have not yet signed their land compensation and support documents; and dozens of households affected by the 2018 flood have not been resolved...

VNPD General Director, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung speaks at the meeting. Photo: Nhat Lan

This meeting was attended by Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung - General Director of VNPD. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung commented that through the meeting on November 16, 2020, VNPD learned that there were still 45 outstanding items in the Khe Bo hydropower project. Therefore, on November 17, 2020, Report No. 1536/BC-VNPD reported the implementation results and plans to resolve the outstanding issues and problems in compensation, resettlement, and resettlement of the Khe Bo hydropower project.

In Report No. 1536, VNPD stated that based on the existing problems and difficulties in the Khe Bo hydropower project,People's Committee of Tuong Duong districthave compiled statistics, to analyze and clarify further; at the same time, propose solutions according to time progress.

VNPD Deputy General Director, Mr. Phan The Chuyen presented Report No. 1536/BC-VNPD on the implementation results and plans to resolve existing problems and difficulties in compensation, resettlement and relocation of Khe Bo hydropower project. Photo: Nhat Lan

For example, in Thach Giam town, the work of compensation, support and resettlement in the hydroelectric reservoir area, 50 households/50 agricultural land plots have been measured but have not yet had compensation and support records for agricultural land prepared. Because it is a new addition, VNPD will coordinate with relevant parties to review and is expected to complete in the second quarter of 2021.

Compensation for residential land and agricultural land on both sides of the suspension bridge in Mac village, due to overlapping land clearance for the construction of the suspension bridge and the need to adjust the boundary of the reservoir due to increased density of landmarks, the total number of affected households is 13 households/13 plots, VNPD is preparing adjusted cadastral records to submit to the competent authorities for approval to have a basis for completion before the first quarter of 2021. The Lau - Mac - Nhan village traffic route has 97 plots that have not been compensated, currently the people's opinions have been publicly collected but the documents have not been signed for approval according to regulations; VNPD will coordinate with relevant parties to go public and explain to the people to sign the documents and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021...

Or like the case of Mr. Lo Xuan Tien's household, residing in Pung village, Yen Thang commune, which has been granted a land use right certificate for residential land, agricultural land, and forestry land, but the 2008 survey map did not show it. The Land Use Right Registration Office has extracted and supplemented it, and the Compensation and Site Clearance Council has prepared a file, but the investor has not yet agreed; VNPD informed that the file has been completed and will be submitted to the District People's Committee for approval to pay before December 31, 2020...

The Chairman of Tam Quang Commune People's Committee is concerned about the support price for households affected by floods in 2018. Photo: Nhat Lan

However, in order to resolve a large amount of remaining work and problems, VNPD General Director, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung expressed his hope that Tuong Duong district would consider re-establishing the Compensation and Site Clearance Council. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung said: “VNPD hopes that the entire political system of the district and related communes will join in; propose to consider and re-establish the Compensation and Site Clearance Council. Because the amount of work is very large, mainly related to land issues, while the company does not have expertise in this field, if the company is left alone to do it, it will be very difficult to complete…”.

After Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung's speech, representatives of communes affected by the Khe Bo hydropower project continued to give their opinions. They expressed concerns about the unit price to support households affected by the 2018 flood; supplemented some missing contents in Report No. 1536/BC-VNPD; requested VNPD to work directly with commune level based on each work content, especially those related to land measurement issues...

Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, Mr. Phan Duc Son affirmed the district's viewpoint that the legitimate rights of the people must be properly and sufficiently guaranteed. He requested VNPD to uphold the sense of responsibility. Mr. Phan Duc Son said: "If there is a shortage, add it, if there is a mistake, correct it, I request VNPD to review it again, urgently, and ensure progress according to the commitment." Regarding the re-establishment of the Compensation and Site Clearance Council as requested by VNPD, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district said that it would not be possible because the district is lacking staff, while the workload is large...

Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, Mr. Phan Duc Son: "If there is anything missing, add it, if there is something wrong, correct it. We request VNPD to review it again, urgently, and ensure progress according to the commitment." Photo: Nhat Lan

However, Mr. Phan Duc Son also suggested a way for VNPD to implement. That is, to implement according to the method of classifying each work content. Which type of work is the responsibility of the investor, then do it immediately; which type involves three or four parties including the investor, district, commune and people, then clearly define, require implementation according to the responsibility of each party. It is necessary to make a form, build a scenario for each work item, clearly define responsibilities, and set a completion time frame for implementation.present… “Only by doing so can we truly do it. Only then can we completely resolve the existing problems…” – Mr. Son emphasized.

In response to the opinions of the meeting participants, General Director Nguyen Thanh Tung pledged to focus on resolving existing issues to ensure the rights of the people. Specifically, VNPD will make a detailed schedule of each work content that needs to be handled to send to the District Party Committee, District People's Committee, departments and commune authorities. At the same time, it is recommended that the District Party Committee and District People's Committee of Tuong Duong direct the People's Committees of communes and towns within the project's scope of influence to coordinate in confirming the origin of the land, the reasonableness and legality of each land plot before preparing the dossier; coordinate with VNPD in preparing the dossier, signing related confirmations, publicizing the BT-GPMB plan and only paying the cost to the people; coordinate with the Consulting unit in measuring, declaring and confirming the origin of the land and preparing dossiers to issue Land Use Right Certificates to the people for households affected by a part of the residential land area that has been recovered and compensated - GPMB. Requesting district-level departments and offices to examine and appraise land compensation records provided by VNPD and submit them to the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district for approval to pay the costs to the people...

Secretary of Tuong Duong District Party Committee, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai concluded the meeting. Photo: Nhat Lan

Concluding the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai - Secretary of the District Party Committee continued to affirm that resolving the backlog is the company's responsibility; the company's delay in handling the backlog has greatly affected the lives of the people. Therefore, the company needs to clearly define the roadmap and time to resolutely take action, resolve the backlog, and ensure the legitimate rights and interests of the people. Requests for clear contents and complete documents must be promptly resolved, without delay. On the side of Tuong Duong district, it will urge departments and commune authorities to coordinate best, focus time to work with the hydropower plant to resolve the backlog. "During the implementation process, the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee will consider this aImportant work content to be regularly monitored and directed. Must be completed as soon as possible, the final deadline is December 2021" -Secretary of Xiangyang District Party Committeeemphasize.