Proposal to assign Do Luong district as the investor to implement the project of building the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele

Tien Dong - Nhat Lan DNUM_CAZAGZCACD 13:01

(Baonghean.vn) - Concluding the meeting, comrade Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said that he will report to the Provincial People's Committee Party Committee to submit to the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee a plan to assign Do Luong district as the investor to implement the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele project.

On the morning of June 20, Comrade Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired a meeting with representatives of departments, branches and Do Luong district to agree on the plan and assign the task of building the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele.

The work accident that occurred on January 3, 1978, at Hiep Hoa culvert, Hoa Son commune (Do Luong), killed 98 people and injured more than 120 others. Most of the victims were young, between 18 and 20 years old, and were mainly concentrated in Thanh Chuong district. However, after 45 years, this area has yet to build a large-scale memorial to honor those who died, which makes the relatives of the victims feel sad.

Reporting at the meeting, comrade Le Van Luong - Secretary of Nghe An Provincial Youth Union said: 5 years ago, on June 8, 2018, the Provincial Youth Union Standing Committee coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Provincial Buddhist Sangha Executive Committee to organize a requiem ceremony for the young people who died at Hiep Hoa culvert.

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Overview of the meeting. Photo: Tien Dong

At the end of 2018, the Provincial Youth Union coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to establish a team to survey the location and site to advise on the construction of the Memorial. After that, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development designed the contents related to the Memorial.

On December 21, 2021, considering the proposal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document 9957/UBND-NN, in which, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was assigned to review, update the situation and work with relevant departments and branches to complete the procedural documents and implement the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele item under the KC1 package - Component 1 - JICA2 Project.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development then also made an estimate and determined the source of capital from the cost of repairing the Hiep Hoa regulating culvert under the KC1 package. However, on October 12, 2022, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Document No. 3671/SNN-QLXD on stopping the construction of this project. The reason given was that the implementation of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele was not in accordance with the basic principles in state management of ODA capital, preferential loans and was not in accordance with the general objectives of the project. Since then, the construction of the memorial stele has not been carried out.

Also at this meeting, comrade Le Van Luong - Secretary of Nghe An Provincial Youth Union expressed his opinion that the Provincial Youth Union is ready to accept the task and will coordinate with Do Luong district to build this meaningful project. However, in terms of functions and tasks, assigning Do Luong district as the investor would be more appropriate because it is also related to site clearance and project management...

Representatives of the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, and Finance also agreed with the proposal to assign Do Luong district as the investor. At the same time, they suggested early implementation to avoid prolongation.

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Hiep Hoa culvert, where in 1978 a work accident occurred that resulted in 98 deaths. Photo: Nhat Lan

Speaking at the meeting, Comrade Bui Duy Dong - Secretary of Do Luong District Party Committee, stated that the construction of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele is necessary, meeting the long-standing expectations of relatives of the deceased and of society. He also affirmed that Do Luong district will be ready to take on the task of being the investor if assigned. The district will be determined to clear the site and start construction in the fourth quarter of 2023.

At this meeting, Comrade Bui Duy Dong also proposed to the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to consult with the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee to expand the scale of the project into a Memorial, including a Memorial Stele and an Incense Burner to commemorate the 98 people who died. In addition, the capital to build the project comes from the budget, socialization and mobilization from other legal sources.

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Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long concluded at the meeting. Photo: Tien Dong

Concluding the meeting, Comrade Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee once again affirmed that the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele is a project of great significance to commemorate the merits of those who died during the construction of this irrigation project. This also meets the wishes of the relatives of the deceased and promotes the tradition of "When drinking water, remember its source" of the Vietnamese people.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also said that in the near future, he will report to the Party Committee of the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee a plan to assign the People's Committee of Do Luong district to be the investor to implement the project to build the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele.

Tien Dong - Nhat Lan