Nghe An: Asking for the Government's opinion to handle problems at Hua Na Hydropower Project

The implementation of asking for the Government's opinion to handle difficulties in compensation and site clearance for the Hua Na Hydropower Project is stated in Notice No. 277/TB-UBND dated May 28, 2020 of the Provincial People's Committee on announcing the conclusion of Comrade Hoang Nghia Hieu - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee at the meeting to handle difficulties in compensation and site clearance for the Hua Na Hydropower Project, Que Phong district and other support policies in compensation and site clearance in the province.

People of Pieng Van - Na Chao village (Huoi Cha La resettlement area) petitioned the competent authority to request the investor of Hua Na Hydropower Project to completely resolve the compensation and site clearance work. Photo: Nhat Lan

Regarding the handling of difficulties in compensation and site clearance for Hua Na Hydropower Plant, Notice No. 277/TB-UBND clearly states: The Hua Na Hydropower Project in Que Phong District, invested by Hua Na Hydropower Joint Stock Company, has been agreed by the people to hand over the site for implementation (construction started at the end of March 2008, and came into operation in the first quarter of 2013). However, after 13 years of project implementation, compensation and site clearance have not been completed, affecting the rights of local households.

The delay in site clearance compensation is the responsibility of the People's Committee of Que Phong district, Hua Na Hydropower Joint Stock Company and provincial departments and branches for not promptly urging and guiding to remove difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process.

After 2 years since the investor handed over the rice fields in the resettlement areas of Hua Na Hydropower Plant, the productivity is still very low, making people's lives extremely difficult. Photo: Nhat Lan

Regarding the current problem, the General Department of Land Management - Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has guided on handling in Official Dispatch No. 708/TCQLDD-CKTPTQD dated April 7, 2020. However, compared with Article 10 of the Land Law, the handling is still inadequate.

Therefore, to handle compensation and support in accordance with the law, ensuring the rights of households affected by the project, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment is assigned, based on the proposed report of the People's Committee of Que Phong district, to advise the Provincial People's Committee on the basis of legal regulations to seek the Government's opinion as a basis for implementation.

The area of ​​natural forest land that the people in the resettlement area of ​​the Hua Na Hydropower Project were assigned, although it did not bring any benefits, is at risk of being included in the deduction calculation. If this is done, the area where the hydropower project is implemented, which has been given special priority by the State, will be the area that is severely disadvantaged, unfairly compared to other residential areas in the province. In the photo: A resident of the Huoi Cha La resettlement area points to the area of ​​natural forest assigned on the top of a high mountain. Photo: Nhat Lan

Regarding the backlog and difficulties in the compensation and site clearance work of the Hua Na Hydropower Project, in the recent past, Nghe An Newspaper has published many articles reflecting the difficult life of households in the resettlement area. In addition, through studying the provisions of the law, the implementation of the project of allocating forest land in the province..., it is found that the plan to deduct land use rights between the place of departure and the place of destination as instructed by the General Department of Land Management is too inappropriate, affecting the legitimate rights of households.