Regarding the proposal to open the road of Khai Son people: Ensuring harmony of interests!

(Baonghean) - Recently, Nghe An Newspaper received a petition from residents of Hamlet 4, Khai Son Commune (Anh Son) reflecting that since the implementation of the Project of the Factory producing firewood and clean coal for export in the area, people's travel has been extremely difficult. Their earnest wish is to preserve the road leading to Tri Le ferry, a historical relic during the anti-American resistance war and also the road for people's travel and production for decades.

The desire to keep the road

Mr. Thai Dinh Tuc, Head of Hamlet 4, Khai Son Commune - on behalf of the people in the hamlet, wrote a petition saying: Since the 1970s, the people of Khai Son Commune, especially the people in Hamlets 4, 5, and 6, have been cultivating and producing stably on the alluvial land along the river. Every day, people have to go through the road leading to Tri Le ferry to reach their production land. But since the Project of the Factory for Producing Firewood and Clean Coal for Export has been operating in the area, people's travel has become extremely difficult. In particular, the road, in addition to its practical value, also bears many historical vestiges of the past. This is the road leading to Tri Le ferry, where during the resistance war against the US, it was the place to gather and transport troops, food, and weapons to serve the southern battlefield. The people of Khai Son Commune are always proud of the heroic historical tradition of Tri Le ferry. “If the factory blocks the road now, we will not only have no way to go to work, but also the historical values ​​will be erased. Therefore, the people’s earnest wish is to keep the road as it was before,” said Mr. Tuc.

The road to Tri Le ferry is at risk of being blocked as the factory has driven in stakes and prepared barbed wire.

Taking us to the field, Mr. Thai Dinh Tuc (Hamlet Chief), Mr. Phan Huu Thuc (Vice-Hamlet Chief), Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa (Deputy Party Secretary) of Hamlet 4 all affirmed that when they knew that a factory was going to be built on this land, everyone was happy, excited and agreed. Therefore, when the State proceeded to reclaim the land and clear the site, the people wholeheartedly supported it.

However, they were a little worried that the road they had been using for a long time was located right on the factory's land. The people asked to keep the road, but the district promised that after the factory was completed, another road would be opened. “We think that is reasonable because we have to ensure the harmony of interests for both sides. The factory has land for production, and we, the people, still have a road to go back and forth to work the land and transport products home. While there is no new road, we still go through the road located on the factory's land. But recently, the factory has piled up and filled the land 2 meters higher than the road surface, so people have to hire trucks to carry soil to build a slope to be able to go. In the near future, when the factory fences off with barbed wire, we will no longer have a road to go back and forth to produce. Meanwhile, the main source of income for 40 households in Hamlet 4 mainly depends on an area of ​​more than 25 hectares of alluvial land along the river with 3 crops per year (2 corn, 1 peanut). If the fence is closed, how will we go to sow corn, harvest peanuts, and work the land?”, Mr. Thuc worried.

Mr. Nguyen Van Can has another "worry". In 2009, Mr. Can signed a contract to lease 7 hectares of public land from the commune for 10 years to build a farm; becoming a typical example in the local production and business movement. Every year, he invests tens of millions of VND to build infrastructure, invest in breeding animals, and feed. Currently, his farm has more than 50 pigs, hundreds of chickens, geese, and thousands of square meters of fish ponds, each year generating tens of millions of VND in income. But at this time, he is worried and restless. Mr. Can said: To build the factory, the State has reclaimed more than 2,000 square meters of land in my contract with the commune. As a citizen, I follow the State's policy without hesitation. But the road I have long taken to the farm is located within the factory premises. “Now, the factory is not fenced off yet so I can still go there, but when it is fenced off, I will have to wade through the fields to get to the farm.”

Discussing the concerns of the people with Mr. Nguyen Van Linh, Chairman of Khai Son Commune People's Committee, he said: The people's reflection that there is no road for people to go to production is completely true. The enterprise has started to drive stakes and will soon fence off the trail leading to Tri Le ferry. "When implementing the project, people in the hamlets near Tri Le ferry requested not to bring the road and Tri Le ferry into the factory premises. The commune proposed to the district, but then the district replied that it was within the project's planning so it should be handed over to the clean charcoal factory. The commune People's Committee has repeatedly proposed to build a road for people around the factory premises to serve people's travel and crop production but has not yet received approval," said Mr. Nguyen Van Linh.

Harmony of interests

It is known that the Project of the Factory producing firewood and clean coal for export is invested by Clean Fuel Company Limited with a capital of nearly 130 billion VND. On June 12, 2014, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Decision No. 2641/QD.UBND-XD on approving the investment policy and allowing Clean Fuel Company Limited to survey and plan the construction of the Factory producing firewood and clean coal for export with a survey area of ​​15 hectares in Tri Le Industrial Park, Khai Son commune. On July 2, 2014, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Decision No. 3070/QD.UBND approving the detailed planning of the Factory producing firewood and clean coal for export on an area of ​​15 hectares. After the decision approving the planning, the People's Committee of Anh Son district proceeded to reclaim land, compensate for site clearance to implement the project.

The factory has now built a wood processing workshop and a house for factory staff and workers to live in. Regarding the piling and fence construction, Mr. Truong Cong Thai, who was assigned by Mr. Truong Cong Thach (Company Director) to be in charge of the factory, explained that the factory's assets are currently being built and invested in, so there needs to be a fence to protect and prevent buffaloes and cows from entering and causing damage. The factory should have already fenced with barbed wire, but due to the people's opinions, it has been temporarily stopped. The factory's investment in construction is in accordance with regulations. As for resolving the people's wishes, it is the responsibility of the government.

To meet the needs of the people while there is no road for production, the factory has proactively opened a road to the South within the land area that the factory is renting. In June, when the factory builds the fence, machines will be sent to dig up the soil and open the road so that people can go down to the alluvial land along the river. As for the wishes of the people of Hamlet 4 who want a road leading to Tri Le ferry, the factory will support the commune to open the road for the people. However, the commune has not responded yet. As for the road to Mr. Can's farm, the factory previously compensated for 2 hectares of land outside the land area of ​​the factory rented and handed it over to the People's Committee of the commune for management. This area can open a road to Mr. Can's farm by adjusting the land, exchanging the length for the width without affecting the rights of the people.

According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Sang, Vice Chairman of Anh Son District People's Committee, in order to facilitate the early implementation of the factory and also ensure the rights of the people, in December 2014, the District People's Committee submitted a proposal to invest in the construction of a belt road around the factory area. However, up to now, the above plan has not been approved by the Provincial People's Committee. Also according to Mr. Sang, when implementing the project, people's travel will be disrupted but it is not that there is no way. People in Hamlet 4 can go to the riverbank from the Ho Chi Minh trail and then turn to the shortcut that has been opened. However, people think that the distance is longer and not convenient for travel. The factory has made a move to support machinery to open a road on the trail that people have been using for a long time.

It can be said that the people's active and unanimous support for the land acquisition policy to implement the Firewood and Clean Coal Export Factory Project is worthy of recognition. The road leading to Tri Le ferry, a historical relic during the anti-American resistance war, will be more proud when it is integrated into the development of the Firewood and Clean Coal Export Factory - a milestone in the economic development of the district in particular and Nghe An province in general. The people's needs and aspirations for a road for convenient travel and production are legitimate. Therefore, the leaders of Khai Son Commune People's Committee need to get involved soon with the direction of the District People's Committee to carry out procedures to open a suitable road to ensure local political security and create conditions for people to stabilize production and develop the economy.

Pham Bang