Will the 'suspended' project continue to be... 'suspended'?

The project to build a clean charcoal factory in Khai Son commune is one of two projects being implemented in the province.Tri Le Industrial Park(Mr. Son). This project was approved for investment since June 12, 2014, and has had its capital and planning adjusted many times. In particular, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has also inspected and urged the investor to put it into operation soon. However, up to now, this project continues to be suspended and has not been completed.

Most recently, from September 13, 2021 to December 15, 2021, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment presided over and coordinated with departments, branches, and localities to organize field inspections and work with investors of 53 projects on the status of project implementation and compliance with laws on investment, construction, and land. The Clean Charcoal Factory Project is one of the projects named for inspection. After more than 3 months of inspection, on January 28, 2022, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued Document 738/STNMT-QLDD, reporting the results of the inspection of slow-progressing projects in the province in 2021, to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and handling.

A row of unfinished houses in the project area. Photo: Tien Dong

In which, for the ProjectClean Charcoal FactoryThe inspection team confirmed that the investor had built a number of construction items such as: Security house; Employee recreation house; Weighing station; Laminated wood factory; Finished product yard; Power station; Raw material gathering yard; Traffic roads, power system, drainage ditch, dryer factory.

However, some construction locations are not consistent with the detailed planning drawing 1/500. Some other construction items according to the planning drawing approved on February 13, 2015 by the Provincial People's Committee have not been implemented by the investor.

Abandoned weighing station. Photo: Tien Dong

According to the assessment, this project still has many construction items that have not been built, the location of the dryer factory is not consistent with the detailed planning drawing 1/500 approved by the Provincial People's Committee; a relatively large area has not been put into use or is being used by households for production that is not in accordance with the purpose of land use when the State allocated land and issued land use right certificates.

Going back in time to 2017, after 3 years of construction, when the project was behind schedule, on March 21, 2017, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment also chaired and organized an inspection. The results showed that the project had implemented the construction of a number of construction items, but many items had not been built. At the same time, violations related to planning also appeared. At this time, the inspection team proposed and the Provincial People's Committee also agreed to allow the investor to extend the implementation progress by 24 months, up to November 30, 2019, in Decision No. 5830/QD-UBND dated December 1, 2017 to fix and build the remaining items, otherwise the land area not implemented for construction would be reclaimed.

Authorities inspect the wood gathered at the project's factory. Photo: Tien Dong

However, by the time of the project inspection at the end of 2021, the project had not yet been completed. The investor had not strictly complied with the extension decision of the Provincial People's Committee. The inspection team also recommended that the Provincial People's Committee allow the investor to extend the project implementation schedule by another 12 months. At the same time, it was required to urgently construct the remaining items and complete the project. In case the project has not been completed after the extension period, the land will be reclaimed and handled according to the provisions of law and the investor will be responsible for all costs incurred.

In order to decide whether to allow the extension of progress or not, on March 18, 2022, the Provincial People's Committee also issued Document No. 1793/UBND-CN on handling delayed projects in Nghe An province. The Provincial People's Committee also requested to review and handle violations of land, construction and conditions for extending the land use progress for this project. In particular, the Provincial People's Committee also assigned the People's Committee of Anh Son district to inspect and handle violations of land and construction at the project and report the results of handling violations, propose handling measures to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment before April 20, 2022.

Factory at the project. Photo: Tien Dong

Mr. Vo Van Ngoc - Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment said: On April 12, 2022, the Department issued an official dispatch notifying the districts to carry out the assigned tasks in Document No. 1793 of the Provincial People's Committee, however, as of April 29, 2022, the Department had not yet received a report from the People's Committee of Anh Son district. Therefore, the Department had to issue additional Official Dispatch No. 2429/STNMT-QLDD to continue urging implementation.

However, when we mentioned the issue of why Anh Son district did not respond to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment before April 20, 2022 so that the Department of Natural Resources and Environment could have a basis to synthesize and advise the Provincial People's Committee to handle it, Mr. Hoang Xuan Cuong - Vice Chairman of Anh Son District People's Committee said that the district would check and have an answer as soon as possible.

Although this project started nearly 10 years ago, it is still not completed. Photo: Tien Dong

It can be seen that there are many different reasons for the delay in project progress, both objective and subjective of the investor. However, with the Clean Charcoal Factory Project, one of the key projects that attracted early investment in Anh Son area, the public is concerned about whether after many years of "hanging", this project will continue to be "hanging" or not?

On May 2, 2022, Nghe An Electronic Newspaper published an article "Many blocks of wood have been sawn in the workshop of the project that has not yet been put into operation", reflecting that the Clean Charcoal Factory Construction Project of Clean Fuel Company Limited, in Khai Son Commune (Anh Son), although it has been implemented for nearly 10 years, has not yet been completed and put into operation. However, in the workshop of this project, a large amount of wood has been sawn and shows signs of being put into operation. Only when the press reported did the authorities conduct an inspection.