Many blocks of wood have been sawn in the workshop of the project that has not yet come into operation.

The project is behind schedule but capital is constantly adjusted.

Clean Charcoal Factory Project inTri Le Industrial Park (IP)Located in Khai Son commune (Anh Son), the Provincial People's Committee approved the investment policy since June 12, 2014, implemented by Clean Fuel Company Limited (located at Hamlet 3, Van Son commune, Do Luong district).

On July 2, 2014, this project was approved for detailed construction planning at a scale of 1/500 with a total planned land area of ​​150,000m2.² and was granted an investment certificate on July 14, 2014 with a total investment capital of 129,252 billion VND, 100% of which is the investor's own capital.

Entrance gate to the Clean Charcoal Factory. Photo: Tien Dong

However, on February 13, 2015, the Provincial People's Committee approved the Decision to adjust the detailed construction planning at a scale of 1/500 for this project, including adding many items such as: guard house, multi-function house, raw material yard, wood pellet factory, laminated wood factory... Although the planned land area is 150,000m²But in fact, the Land Use Rights Certificate that this unit was granted on January 16, 2015 only had 142,772.5m².

In addition toplanning adjustmentConstruction details 1/500 scale, this project has undergone many capital adjustments. Specifically, from July 14, 2014, this project had an investment capital of 129,252 billion VND, 100% of which was the investor's equity. By March 18, 2015, the investment capital was adjusted to 350,861 billion VND, equity capital decreased to 60%. On May 7, 2015, the total investment capital was continued to be adjusted to 550,861 billion VND, and the investor's equity capital continued to decrease to 38.12%.

Abandoned weighing station near the entrance and exit. Photo: Tien Dong

Despite the large investment, since its implementation, nearly 10 years have passed and the project has only built one factory and some items such as a weighing station and a power station, but it has not yet been put into operation. This has caused many households whose land was recovered and whose children of working age were promised to be employed at the factory to still wait wearily.

The continuous adjustment of capital increase, while the percentage of equity capital of the investor decreases, makes many people question the feasibility of the project?

Factory area. Photo: Tien Dong

Large pile of solid wood in the factory

The project has been in operation for nearly 10 years and seems to be dormant, but what surprised us was that deep inside the corrugated iron-roofed factory, there was a large amount of solid, square timber, about 50cm in diameter and 5m long, being gathered here.

Wood is stacked in piles inside the factory. Photo: Tien Dong

From Ho Chi Minh road, walk about 200m to reach this factory. Inside the factory there are many saws, the wood is piled up. Around the factory is built a wall and welded iron frame very firmly, the separate aisles are closed by rolling doors.

According to our observation, this project area only has this factory which is almost completed, from the house frame, roof and electrical system. Next to it is also a row of houses which have only completed the construction part, but have not been roofed yet.

The chainsaw shows signs of being in operation. Photo: Tien Dong

Meet a residentKhai Son communeWe went around weeding corn in this area and asked if they knew where people transported wood and sawed it inside. This person said that the factory was located deep inside and the gate was always locked so people didn't know.

Mr. Dang Dinh Luan - Chairman of Khai Son Commune People's Committee said: the commune does not know when the investor brought the wood in. Once, the commune went to check and saw the wood inside. When asking the investor's representative, he said the wood had papers, but he only heard that and did not see any papers.

Large saws are installed inside. Photo: Tien Dong

It is known that the Clean Charcoal Factory Project is one of the first and only two projects to date invested in Tri Le Industrial Park (including the MDF fiberboard factory).

However, both of these projects are behind schedule. On March 18, 2022, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 1793/UBND-CN on handling projects with slow construction progress in Nghe An province. In particular, the clean charcoal and plywood export factory project in Khai Son commune (Anh Son), by Clean Fuel Company Limited, is on the list of projects that must be reviewed and handled for violations of land, construction and conditions for extending land use progress.

Large wooden blocks about 5m long are being gathered inside the factory. Photo: Tien Dong

Contacting Mr. Truong Cong Thach - Director of Clean Fuel Company Limited, Mr. Thach replied that he is still the representative of this company. When we mentioned that there was a large amount of wood in the factory, Mr. Thach initially said that it was sent by a younger brother. However, after we questioned the suspicion that Clean Fuel Company Limited was the owner of the above wood, Mr. Thach replied that he would check again.

A row of houses under construction. Photo: Tien Dong

A leader of Anh Son District People's Committee affirmed that this project has not been completed and put into use, not yet operating, because if it were to operate, it would have to be notified to the local authorities.

So people are asking: This project has not been completed and put into operation yet, but for some reason, instead of being put into operation and operating according to its proper function, the factories contain a lot of solid wood and there are signs of operation. Is it possible that there is a "disguised" wood processing activity here that has been going on for a long time but no one knows?