Removing the shortcomings in converting forest land to construct the North-South expressway project

North-South Expressway Project, Dien Chau - Bai Vot Section, will have to convert the purpose of forest use with an area of ​​33.66 ha. Of which, protective forest is 30.05 ha; 3.01 ha of production forest and 0.59 ha of forest outside the forestry planning. Of this area, Dien Chau district has 11.41 ha, Nghi Loc has 22.249 ha. Currently,The conversion of forest land use purposes in Dien Chau and Nghi Loc still has many problems, although the counting, documentation and compensation payment for crops on the land have been basically completed.

In Dien Chau district, the forest land area that must be recovered to build the highway is mainly located in Dien Phu commune, where there is a section of access road andThan Vu tunnelMr. Tran Minh Hanh - Chairman of Dien Phu Commune People's Committee said that the highway passes through a forest area about 2km long, with an area of ​​more than 10 hectares, mainly protective forest. Because Dien Chau district does not have a Protective Forest Management Board, these forest areas have been assigned to 3 households and 1 community to manage and protect.

Currently, the area of ​​protective forest in Dien Phu commune has been counted andcomplete profileHowever, because the purpose of use has not been changed, the entire area where the highway passes through is still vast forests that no one dares to cut down.

The Than Vu tunnel area passes through Dien Phu commune (Dien Chau), because there has not been a decision to change the land use purpose, there are still vast forests. Photo: Tien Dong

Opposite Than Vu tunnel on Nghi Dong commune land (Nghi Loc), more than 20 hectares of forest land must also be reclaimed and converted to the purpose of the highway. Currently, the authorities have also counted and compensated the forest owner, Nghi Loc Protective Forest Management Board, and 8 households. However, to cut and harvest trees on this land, there must be a decision to change the land use purpose, then the management unit will build a design dossier, and be permitted by the authorities before cutting the trees.

Mr. Tran Hoang Hai - Captain of Nghi Dong Forestry Team said: Although compensation for crops has been paid, because the land use purpose has not been changed, for the past 3 years the unit has still had to protect this area.

Currently, the parts under the district's authority such as counting, compensation payment, and record making have all been completed, counted, paid, and processed to be converted by the competent authority. After the decision to allow the conversion is made, the procedures will be processed to pay the fee to convert the purpose of use.

Mr. Phung Ngoc Tu - Deputy Head of Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Nghi Loc district

The boundary between the highway and the protective forest. Photo: Tien Dong

The component project of the Dien Chau - Bai Vot expressway construction investment has over 20 hectares of protective forest area to be recovered, therefore, according to regulations, if one wants to change the purpose of use, one must submit a request for the Prime Minister's opinion.

In fact, the sectors and localities with forest areas to be recovered have also developed documents and reports to advise the Provincial People's Committee on the Plan to convert forest land on the highway. However, during the review process, due to different opinions from ministries and sectors, the most prominent of which is the appraisal opinion of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment requesting the province to clarify the statistical data of the forest land area proposed for purpose change.

The area of ​​the highway passing through Nghi Dong commune belongs to the people's production land. Photo: Tien Dong

In response to the comments of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has issued a written response regarding the above issue. According to the adjustment of land use planning to 2020 of Nghi Loc district approved by the province in 2018, the North-South expressway project is planned with a total area of ​​23.39 hectares; similarly, Dien Chau district was approved by the province for the North-South expressway project with an area of ​​143.96 hectares (both Nghi Son - Dien Chau and Dien Chau - Bai Vot sections). Circular No. 29/2014 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment detailing the preparation, adjustment and appraisal of land use planning and plans does not stipulate the specific presentation of the list of works and projects in the district-level land use planning, the appendix is ​​established for easy monitoring during the implementation process.

Although the GPMB markers have been installed for a long time, because the land use conversion procedures have not been completed, the trees must remain in their current state. Photo: Tien Dong

In addition, Clause 9, Article 49 of the amended Land Law stipulates: When the land use planning period ends but the land use planning indicators have not been fully implemented, they will continue to be implemented until the land use planning for the next period is approved by the competent state agency. Currently, Nghi Loc and Dien Chau districts are organizing the preparation of land use planning for the period 2021-2030 to submit to the competent authority for approval.

To speed up road construction progressNorth-South ExpresswayDeputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has repeatedly emphasized at meetings and inspections that this is a key national investment project that needs urgent priority. Therefore, on the one hand, it is necessary to comply with regulations but also have flexible and breakthrough solutions to speed up the progress of site clearance and construction of this important project./.