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(Baonghean) These days, Que Phong is using all its strength to move people out of the Hua Na hydroelectric reservoir. The deadline of June 30, the day of filling the reservoir, is approaching. To build the Hua Na hydroelectric plant, more than 1,400 households in the two communes of Thong Thu - Dong Van of Que Phong district must be relocated out of the reservoir area.

At the resettlement site of Dong Van commune, households are moving to new residences. Wooden and concrete stilt houses are springing up one after another. 100% of Dong Van households have signed a relocation commitment. From now until the end of June is the time for more than 700 Dong Van households to move to new residences. Other works such as roads, electricity, and clean water are being urgently constructed by contractors.

Resettlement area is being built in Huoi Lam village.

Together with the staff of the Propaganda Department of Que Phong District Party Committee, we visited the village, the new residence of the people of Huoi Nieng village, Dong Van commune. Receiving us in the newly built wooden stilt house, Ms. Xen Thi Viet said: Her family moved here more than a month ago. Her family registered to build their own house, so in addition to the compensation money, she was supported with an additional 70 million VND to build her own house. Together with the compensation money and borrowing from relatives, Ms. Viet's family decided to build a new stilt house. According to her, the new place is cleaner and cooler than the old place, has water, and the roads are convenient. Her family only had a little hesitation when moving here, because there is no school yet, so her daughter has to study far from home. Along with Ms. Viet's family, in Huoi Xin-Huoi Lam village, there are dozens of houses being built. The difference here compared to other resettlement areas I have been to is that in parallel with building houses, people also focus on organizing production. Next to the unfinished houses are livestock farms built on adjacent land.

Talking with the leaders of Que Phong District Party Committee, Thong Thu is the "hot spot" that the district is focusing on directing relocation. Since the beginning of March, the district has established many working groups to stay close to the grassroots to thoroughly resolve each specific issue at the grassroots level, directing political organizations to actively participate. According to Mr. Luong Van Xuyen, Secretary of the Thong Thu Commune Party Committee, the problems of the people here are only questions about the compensation for trees, aquatic land, and reclaimed land that have not been satisfactorily resolved. On the other hand, at the resettlement site, due to the slow construction of the contractor, the site has not been completed, creating a sense of apprehension among the people... To thoroughly resolve the existing problems since the beginning of April, the working group led by Secretary of the District Party Committee Tran Quoc Thanh inspected the 6 resettlement areas of Thong Thu Commune. Together with the management board of the Hua Na hydropower project, they adjusted the unreasonable points of each location to ensure conditions for production and life, both suitable to customs and creating favorable living conditions for people when they move to live. After the working group concluded, the district's compensation and site clearance board moved its "headquarters" to the commune center, creating conditions for people to avoid having to travel. The board's staff brought machinery, generators... to serve the work, and ate and slept in the commune. The mobile information team both showed films and propagated the Party and State's policies on migration and resettlement. With specific and practical ways of doing things, all difficulties were gradually resolved. Mobilizing people to sign the procedural documents was more convenient. In Loc village, Mr. Lo Thanh Chuyen had just signed the documents to receive compensation and talked to us: He registered to relocate himself, so in addition to the compensation amount, he was also supported with an additional 70 million VND to relocate his house. He also wishes to move soon to stabilize his life in the new place in Huoi Luom village. According to the district's request, the contractor is renovating the site, expanding the area... when completed, the house will be moved to the new place immediately. Because the resettlement is right in the commune, the old cultivated land will remain intact, not affecting the lives of the people.

By the end of March 2012, 233/750 households in Thong Thu commune had their compensation approved. To date, this number has increased significantly. The compensation council is completing the final documents, and nearly 100 households have drawn lots to receive land. The contractor is urgently adjusting the resettlement sites to suit the people's requirements. At this rate, by June 30, the relocation will be basically completed, ensuring the water storage of the Hua Na Hydropower project as planned.

Mr. Tuan