Lacking a 'roof', 15 forest rangers lost allowances in especially difficult border areas?

Missing a "roof"?

Providing information to Nghe An Newspaper via hotline at the end of August 2019, a local forest ranger (requesting anonymity) reported that he worked in a particularly difficult border commune, but for nearly 2 years he has not received the allowance regime according to Circular No. 09/2005/TT-BNV.

He said: Our work in the border area has countless difficulties that not everyone knows. For example, according to previous regulations, each ranger is responsible for managing 1,000 hectares of forest. But most of the forest rangers in the border area in Nghe An are currently assigned to manage over 10,000 hectares of forest. As for me, I am assigned to an area larger than 20,000 hectares of forest, which means that according to regulations, I am taking on more work than many other forest rangers.

Forest patrolling is a very hard and dangerous job. Therefore, it always needs the support of colleagues and forces in the same area. Photo: Contributor

Although it is difficult and arduous, we consider this a profession and a career to overcome, together with the local forces to complete the work of forest management, protection and development. However, the civil servants, commune officials, teachers, border guards, etc. in the same area all enjoy allowances, while we do not. We do not compare who has a harder job than the other, because each profession has its own characteristics. But since we work in the same area, should we consider enjoying allowances?

We also expressed these concerns to our immediate superiors. Then, it was explained that the reason was because our station was not located in a particularly difficult border commune. And the industry had sent a document requesting the competent authority to consider and resolve the matter... Hearing the superiors' explanation like that, we also felt sad. Because this matter has lasted for nearly 2 years. Moreover, just because there is a lack of stations, does it mean that the "roof" is more important than the actual work and the people performing the tasks...?

In the border districts of Que Phong, Ky Son, and Tuong Duong, there are many forest rangers who have not received allowances for especially difficult border areas. Even in Con Cuong district, there are similar cases. In Que Phong district, in Tri Le commune, there are two forest rangers, Duong Thanh Luan and Nguyen Thanh Cong; in Nam Nhoong commune, there is forest ranger Nguyen An Giang; in Nam Giai commune, there is forest ranger Bui Van Thanh; in Hanh Dich commune, there is forest ranger Nguyen Huu Duy.

Mr. Duong Thanh Luan (forest ranger in charge of Ky Son and Cam Muon communes) asked the village elder of Cam Noc village (Cam Muon commune) about the funeral customs for the elderly in this locality. Photo: Nhat Lan

According to the forest ranger of Tri Le commune, Mr. Duong Thanh Luan said that this situation is because his unit is not located in Tri Le commune. Working in this locality, he has to "take refuge" at the commune headquarters, while the station is located in Chau Thon commune, about 20 km away from Tri Le commune. Mr. Duong Thanh Luan said: "I personally was assigned to work in the two communes of Tri Le and Cam Muon. The area is very large, the assigned forest area is large, the work is difficult and arduous, while the responsibility is high. In these localities, no one can be sure that deforestation will not occur. And every time it happens, no matter what the cause, we are the ones at fault...".

Forest ranger Nguyen Van Hieu was assigned to be in charge of Mon Son commune (Con Cuong) in 2019, with an area of ​​up to 38,000 hectares; including residential villages located in the core zone of Pu Mat National Park, 25 km away from the commune center by forest road. However, he has not yet received any allowance because the station is not located in Mon Son commune.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu said: "Compared to officers and soldiers working and stationed in the same area, we are still at a disadvantage. I hope that the policy will soon change so that we can enjoy the allowance regime, thereby ensuring fairness and peace of mind at work..."

Wait until when?

Nghe An Forest Protection Department confirmed the above information and said that in the whole province, there are currently 15 forest rangers who have not received special allowances as prescribed in Circular No. 09/2005/TT-BNV. Of which, Ky Son Forest Protection Department has 2 cases; Con Cuong Forest Protection Department has 2 cases; Que Phong Forest Protection Department has 5 cases; Tuong Duong Forest Protection Department has 6 cases.

Forest rangers coordinated with the authorities of Cam Muon commune (Que Phong) to arrest illegal loggers. Photo: Contributor

To solve this problem, since 2017, the Forest Protection Department has sent a written request to the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Finance and the Provincial People's Committee. However, it has not been resolved yet. Specifically, on November 2, 2017, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 8557/UBND-KT assigning the Department of Home Affairs to preside over and coordinate with the Department of Finance and the Forest Protection Department based on current regulations of the State and the actual situation of the locality to advise the Provincial People's Committee on the document to report and ask for opinions from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

On November 7, 2017, the Department of Home Affairs issued Document No. 1902/SNV-CCVC on the implementation of the allowance regime according to Circular No. 09/2005/TT-BNV to the Ministry of Home Affairs. On December 15, 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued Document No. 6555/BNV-TL in response with the content: "Point b, Clause 2, Section II of Circular No. 09/2005/TT-BNV dated January 5, 2005 of the Ministry of Home Affairs guiding the implementation of the special allowance regime for cadres, civil servants, public employees and armed forces has stipulated that "Special allowances are paid for the months of actual work in the area. When leaving the area for 1 month or more or coming to work for less than a full month, they will not be entitled to receive them".Therefore, it is recommended that the Department of Home Affairs of Nghe An province base on the actual working time of cadres, civil servants and public employees to prescribe the special allowance level in the appendix of the list issued with Circular No. 09/2005/TT-BNV to report to the People's Committee of Nghe An province for consideration and decision.

However, in February 2018, the Department of Finance continued to send Document No. 394/STC-HX to the Ministry of Finance requesting clarification of the problem. The Department of Finance gave two examples: Case 1, Mr. X is a forest ranger working at a forest protection station located in commune A. According to the assignment of tasks, Mr. X is in charge of communes A, B, and C, including commune C in the list prescribed in Circular No. 09; Case 2, Mr. Y is a forest ranger working at a forest protection station located in commune D. According to the assignment, Mr. Y is in charge of communes D, E, and F, including commune D in the list prescribed in Circular No. 09.

Forest rangers of Pu Mat National Park take inventory of illegally cut trees in the border commune of Mon Son. Photo: Contributor

According to the Department of Finance, based on the provisions of Circular 09, currently only Mr. Y is entitled to special allowances, while Mr. X is not. Because the Ministry of Home Affairs has commented in Document No. 6555/BNV-TL; the Forest Protection Department has a document requesting the Provincial People's Committee to allocate funds to pay for subjects in case 1. Therefore, the Ministry of Finance is requested to comment on this content.

The representative of the Forest Protection Department discussed: In fact, the Department, departments, branches and the Provincial People's Committee have paid attention to this issue. However, the Ministry of Finance has not yet responded, so the Department of Finance has not been able to provide funding for payment. According to the representative, due to the specific situation of professional work and the actual situation of the area, it is necessary to allocate appropriate forest rangers to ensure good performance of the task. Therefore, there are many forest rangers in charge of 2 or 3 communes at the same time, including 1 commune in a particularly difficult border area.

Forest rangers in Tri Le commune (Que Phong) are patrolling the border forest. Photo: Contributor

This has led to the situation where forest rangers are performing their duties in particularly difficult border areas but the station is located in an area not covered by Circular 09, resulting in them not receiving allowances. “We know that forest rangers working in particularly difficult border communes are extremely hard-working, and understand their concerns. Therefore, we are continuing to make recommendations for them to receive allowances...” - the representative of the Forest Protection Department discussed.