Ban Mong Reservoir Project: Joy Returns!

(Baonghean) - On June 5th, at the Ban Mong Reservoir Project's headworks complex, contractors resumed construction after more than four years of stagnation due to compensation and land clearance issues (an event previously reported by Baonghean newspaper in its May 14th, 15th, 18th, and 19th editions); and for officials and people of Yen Hop commune (Quy Hop district), this was truly a day of "joy returning"...

We returned to Trong Canh hamlet, Yen Hop commune, two days after eight households received financial assistance and handed over their land to the construction unit. It's difficult to fully describe the emotions of the officials and people here. Unlike about a month ago, when they were burdened with worries, this time, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hong (one of the eight households with previous issues) had a radiant smile on her face: "Everything has been resolved now. I and the other households have received the financial assistance and handed over the land without any further concerns..." Leading us to visit her corn field, which had turned yellow from the sun and drought, she confided that, like everyone else, she understood the function and benefits of the Ban Mong Reservoir Project once completed. She expressed: "I also hope that the relevant units will speed up the construction progress so that the project can be completed and put into operation soon, serving the production and daily life of the people in the area."

Construction vehicles are entering the main section of the Project to build the road.

Like Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hong, Mr. Phan Xuan Nhan felt as if he had finally shed a heavy burden of thought that had lasted for years. He happily recounted his arduous time of "appealing and suing," saying, "I will always remember May 31st; that was when, after much deliberation and thought, I decided to call the District Chairman to inform him that the construction would begin the next day. We understood everything, had no more concerns, and were ready to hand over the land..."

Mr. Dinh Viet To, head of Trong Canh hamlet, shared that when people still have concerns and difficulties, even grassroots officials cannot be at peace. Therefore, when all problems and difficulties have been resolved by the authorities at all levels and the people have reached a high level of consensus, there is nothing more joyful. "Along with officials at all levels, we grassroots officials also regularly meet with the relevant households to contribute to resolving difficulties. Now that all related issues have been resolved thoroughly in terms of reason and even with goodwill, we are very happy," Mr. To said enthusiastically.

At the construction site of package N1, part of the Ban Mong Reservoir Project's headworks in Yen Hop commune, under the direction of the Irrigation Investment and Construction Management Board 4, contractors have concentrated machinery and personnel to construct the access road to the waste disposal site. According to Mr. Thai Doan An, a bulldozer operator from Duc Hien Construction Joint Stock Company, everything has gone smoothly after more than a day of work. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phong, a technical officer from Irrigation Construction Joint Stock Company 1, said that the unit is urgently deploying many vehicles, machines, and equipment to the construction site to focus on constructing the headworks diversion channel. Present at the construction site under the scorching 40-41°C heat, Mr. Le Van Minh, Deputy Head of the Ban Mong Reservoir Project Management Board, said: "This is a very important project for the socio-economic development of the western part of the province, and is of great interest to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the province. Now that everything is running smoothly and the site has been cleared and handed over, the Board will report to the province so that it can direct relevant units to accelerate the implementation progress..."

The construction workers shared their joy.

In addition to financial support including: public land reclamation; investment support for remaining land; and support for replanting trees on the land, the request for support regarding production land for the eight households mentioned above was also accepted by the Quy Hop district government. To reassure the people and build their trust in the State's policies, immediately after the eight households signed to receive the money and handed over the land for the construction of the N1 diversion channel package of the Ban Mong Reservoir Project, on June 4, 2015, the Quy Hop District People's Committee issued Official Letter No. 387/UBND regarding the resolution of the people's requests.

Specifically, the document assigns the District Department of Natural Resources and Environment the task of coordinating with the Yen Hop commune government and the Song Hieu Forestry Station to inspect and measure the land area currently used by households outside the project area in order to issue land use right certificates in accordance with the Land Law before August 30, 2015. Simultaneously, it advises the District People's Committee to complete the land acquisition dossier for 17 hectares of land in Xat village (Yen Hop commune) to work with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and relevant agencies to submit a decision on the acquisition of the aforementioned land area for production purposes to 8 households. The Yen Hop commune government is responsible for guiding the households in preparing the necessary documents and procedures to apply for land use right certificates; actively cooperating with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Land Registration Office in the process of land demarcation, surveying, and other tasks related to the land allocation process.

Speaking with us, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung, Vice Chairman of the Quy Hop District People's Committee, happily stated: “After more than four years, resolving the obstacles related to eight households in Cong and Trong Canh hamlets, allowing the N1 canal project, part of the Ban Mong Reservoir complex, to resume construction, is a great success. The district has made every effort to gain the people's consensus, and we also hope that the province and relevant departments will actively assist the district in quickly resolving procedures related to granting land use rights certificates and providing land for production to fulfill our promise to the people. In addition, the district also requests that project management boards enhance their responsibility in managing and protecting the site, direct contractors and construction units to accelerate progress, actively coordinate with local authorities to resolve issues arising during construction, and maintain good relations with the people in the area, so that the large-scale irrigation project can be put into operation soon.”

As for the Yen Hop commune government, joy was evident in the eyes and smiles of each leader, as they had finally lifted a long-standing burden right before the 21st Party Congress of the commune, for the 2015-2020 term. Mr. Tran Van Ngoc, Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, sincerely shared: “Through this incident, we have come to understand even more deeply President Ho Chi Minh's saying, 'A thousand times easier, but without the people's support, nothing can be achieved; a thousand times harder, but with the people's support, everything can be accomplished.' And the biggest lesson learned is that, in addition to strictly adhering to the laws and policies of the State, officials must be deeply involved with the grassroots, truly close to the people, listen to their thoughts and aspirations, and explain and resolve their problems based on reason and compassion.” Meanwhile, Mr. Le Van Thanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune, expressed his hope that once the obstacles are removed, the contractors will soon accelerate the construction progress so that the project can be completed soon, solving the problem of water shortage for production and daily life for the people, bringing new life and hope to this arid land. "Here, this season is very difficult for us people. The weather is so harsh that this year we had to abandon the summer-autumn crop and couldn't produce anything. We desperately need irrigation water..." Mr. Thanh shared.

Having closely followed the developments in resolving obstacles in the land clearance process for the Ban Mong Reservoir Project, reporters from Nghe An Newspaper now share the joy with the officials and people here. We are confident that, with the consensus and support of the people in the affected area, the coordinated and active involvement of the authorities at all levels, the contractor, and the construction unit, the headworks of the Ban Mong Reservoir Project will soon be completed, contributing to bringing the largest irrigation project in North Central Vietnam into operation on schedule, bringing prosperity to the economic and social landscape of Yen Hop commune (Quy Hop district) in particular, and the western region of Nghe An in general.

Reporters' Team