Dien Chau residents 'thirsty' for clean water as 20 billion project 'suspended' for decades

On the afternoon of June 16, delegates of the Provincial People's Council, including Mr. Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Ton Manh - Deputy Chief of the Provincial Party Committee Office; Cao Thi Thuy - Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Dien Chau district, had a meeting with voters of Dien Quang, Dien Hoa, Dien Hanh communes (Dien Chau district). Photo: Mai Hoa

The most pressing issue facing Dien Quang commune voters is the lack of clean water. According to voter Nguyen Ngoc Son (Hamlet 2, Dien Quang commune), the clean water project was attracted to the commune after nearly 10 years of investment but is currently unfinished.

Besides not solving the urgent problem of clean water shortage of the people, especially in the current hot weather when wells in many families are dry, this unfinished project has caused unsafety for the people when 3 children drowned in the project's pit.

Regarding this issue, Mr. Phan Xuan Vinh - Vice Chairman of Dien Chau District People's Committee said that this project was invested by Dien Quang Commune People's Committee and was wrong from the time of approval, because the whole commune only has about 6,000 people, but the investment rate of the project is 20 billion VND, of which the people have to pay 40%, with that level, the people cannot have enough to support the project to continue. In the coming time, the district will propose to the province to find a solution.

Voter Nguyen Ngoc Son (Hamlet 2, Dien Quang Commune) reflected that people are "thirsty" for clean water, while the clean water project attracted to the commune has been unfinished after nearly 10 years of investment. Photo: Mai Hoa

Besides clean water, voters also reflected that the N8A canal invested nearly 11 billion VND but was ineffective due to an inadequate design, so the responsibility belongs to which organization or individual needs to be clarified and handled.

Voter Le Van Hue (Hamlet 3, Dien Quang Commune) reported that some households built houses on land 64 but the commune government did not take any measures to prevent it.

Some voters also reported that in Dien Quang commune, in hamlets 1 and 2, there are still 71 pending land use right certificates for people. However, according to voters, granting land without authority is the fault of officials and civil servants, not the fault of the people; therefore, they requested the province to have a solution to resolve the issue and ensure the rights of the people.

Mr. Phan Xuan Vinh - Vice Chairman of Dien Chau District People's Committee said that the clean water project in Dien Quang commune was wrong right from the approval stage with a large investment of 20 billion VND to serve only 6,000 people. Photo: Mai Hoa

Some voters also suggested that agricultural support policies should be more timely, creating favorable conditions for farmers to produce. This is also a reflection of the inadequate policies for non-professional activists in hamlets, including the regime for those who are not active due to hamlet mergers and streamlining.

There is also the issue of handing over the unpaid rural low-voltage power grid; recommendations to increase investment in preventive medical equipment for communes, especially equipment for preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic...

At the end of the conference, affirming the delegates' responsibility to voters, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien promised to receive all opinions and suggestions from voters to study with the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council and include them in the content and agenda of the next session of the People's Council; at the same time, forward them to all levels and sectors to thoroughly resolve voters' opinions under possible conditions.

Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien explains some issues of concern to voters. Photo: Mai Hoa

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council also explained a number of issues of concern to voters. Regarding the return of investment in rural low-voltage power grids to the people, according to delegate Cao Thi Hien, the Provincial People's Council questioned this content at the previous session, however, through monitoring in localities, the progress of resolution is still slow, so the Provincial People's Council continues to include it in the agenda at the upcoming session to clarify further.

Delegate Cao Thi Hien also shared with voters the number of opinions on the support regime for non-professional activists in the hamlet and the low salaries for retired officials, civil servants and public employees in the past.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council requested the district and commune authorities to review and propose recommendations to the province to amend regulations, in order to remove practical obstacles related to land granted without authority to ensure people's rights; at the same time, supplement beneficiaries of housing support policies, not allowing policy families to live in damaged and dilapidated houses.