Con Cuong voters propose to cancel the planning of raw material areas serving Tan Hong paper factory

(Baonghean.vn)- Voters of Con Cuong district requested the Provincial People's Committee to consider canceling the planning of raw material areas for Tan Hong paper factory because since the construction started, it has not been put into operation.

The Provincial People's Committee responded to this issue as follows:

The planning of raw material areas for Tan Hong Pulp Factory was approved by the People's Committee of Nghe An province in Decision No. 3226/QD.UBND.NN dated July 7, 2009; and was adjusted and expanded in Decision No. 5581/QD.UBND.NN dated October 29, 2009 with a total joint venture area of ​​47,118.8 hectares in the districts of Tuong Duong (13,838.4 hectares), Con Cuong (7,899.0 hectares), Anh Son (4,559.5 hectares), Thanh Chuong (11,757.2 hectares), Tan Ky (9,064.7 hectares).

Tan Hong paper mill has not been operating for the past 7 years, causing difficulties for localities in the raw material area. Photo: Document

After the Decision approving the planning of raw material areas, in 2010 the Company invested capital, seeds and techniques to form a joint venture with local people to plant 1,622.7 hectares in 3 districts of Con Cuong, Thanh Chuong and Anh Son; in addition, the Company also invested in protecting and caring for existing forests in the planned districts.

However, in 2011 and 2012, due to difficult production and business conditions, Tan Hong pulp factory did not purchase and process pulp. The Company also did not invest in planting new forests, protecting and caring for existing forests in the planned districts.

According to the report of the People's Committees of the districts in the planning area: after the provincial People's Committee approved the planning, Tan Hong Import-Export Joint Stock Company implemented a number of items in 2010, but from 2011 to present, the Company has not implemented the items according to the approved planning, so the area planned for planting raw material forests of the project, people self-produced forests and planted other crops.

Most of the factory's machinery has deteriorated. Photo: Archive

To handle the existing problems of Tan Hong Paper Mill, the Provincial People's Committee held a meeting with relevant departments, branches and units to discuss the solution. And on January 19, 2017, the Provincial People's Committee issued Notice No. 32/TB-UBND on the conclusion of Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong - Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, in which the Department of Planning and Investment was assigned to send a document to Tan Hong Import-Export Joint Stock Company and the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hong Ha branch to completely handle the contents related to Tan Hong Pulp Mill.

On February 24, 2017, the Department of Planning and Investment held a working session with the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment, Construction, Agriculture and Rural Development, the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hong Ha Branch, the State Bank of Vietnam, Nghe An Branch, and the People's Committee of Con Cuong District. Regarding Tan Hong Import-Export Joint Stock Company, the Department of Planning and Investment could not send documents and could not contact because the Company had stopped operating for a long time (according to the confirmation report of the Nghe An Tax Department).

On May 17, 2017, the Government issued Decision No. 1216/QD-TTCP establishing an Inspection Team of the Government Inspectorate to work in Nghe An, including inspecting the content of Nghe An Electronic Newspaper's reflection on the Tan Hong Pulp Factory project in Chi Khe commune, Con Cuong district.

After the conclusion of the Inspection Team, the Provincial People's Committee will report the results of handling and responding to the content of voters' petitions.

Gia Huy

(Synthetic)