Problems in Hua Na Hydropower Project have been solved

The official dispatch of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has the following content:

Implementing the direction of Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung in Official Dispatch No. 25/TTg-NN dated January 11, 2021 on handling the difference in value of agricultural land at the departure and destination places underHua Na Hydropower Resettlement Project, Nghe An province; after receiving comments from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Official Dispatch No. 2973/BNN-KTHT dated May 21, 2021, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has the following comments:

Official dispatch No. 3787/BTNMT-TCQLDD dated July 12, 2021 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Photo: Nhat Lan

Article 10 and Article 11 of the 2013 Land Law stipulate the land classification and the basis for determining land types. Clause 2, Article 74 of the 2013 Land Law stipulates the principle of land compensation when the State recovers land: “Compensation is made by allocating land with the same purpose of use as the recovered land type. If there is no land for compensation, compensation will be made in cash according to the specific land price of the recovered land type decided by the Provincial People's Committee at the time of land recovery”.

In Clause 1, Article 5 of Decision No. 64/2014/QD-TTg dated November 18, 2014 of the Prime Minister deciding on special policies on migration and resettlement of irrigation and hydropower projects, it is stipulated: "Resettled households moving to concentrated rural resettlement areas will be compensated for land (residential land, production land) by being allocated land with the same purpose of use as the type of land recovered according to the approved resettlement plan".

People of Pieng Van - Na Chao village (Huoi Cha La resettlement area) petitioned the competent authority to request the investor of Hua Na Hydropower project to completely resolve the issue of compensation and site clearance. Photo: Nhat Lan

According to the provisions of law, the implementation of land acquisition, compensation and resettlement support is the responsibility of the locality. Based on the provisions of the above law and Official Dispatch No. 25/TTg-NN of the Prime Minister, we request the People's Committee of Nghe An province to direct the handling of the difference in value of agricultural land between the departure and arrival places of the Hua Na Hydropower Resettlement Project to ensure compliance with the provisions of law, not to affect the rights as prescribed by law of people whose land is acquired and not to cause complaints or lawsuits.

On July 14, 2021, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 4850/UBND-NN on handling the difference in agricultural land value between the departure and arrival locations of the Hua Na Hydropower Resettlement Project, sent to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment andPeople's Committee of Que Phong district.

Document No. 4850/UBND-NN of the Provincial People's Committee. Photo: Nhat Lan

In Document No. 4850/UBND-NN, the Provincial People's Committee directed:

1. The People's Committee of Que Phong district shall base on the provisions of law and the opinions of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Official Dispatch No. 3787/BTNMT-TCQLDD dated July 12, 2021 to implement. In the process of implementation, if there are any problems, please consult the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for guidance on handling.

2. Assign the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to guide the People's Committee of Que Phong district to implement when requested.

People in the resettlement area of ​​Hua Na Hydropower Plant grow cassava for more food. Photo: Nhat Lan

The problem of handling the difference in the value of agricultural land between the departure and destination of the Hua Na Hydropower Resettlement Project began to arise on May 29, 2019, when the project investor issued Document No. 280/HHC-KTKH, requesting the Provincial People's Committee to guide the calculation and deduction of the difference in land use rights between the departure and destination. In particular, it is proposed to calculate and deduct according to the total value of land use rights of all types of land for each household.

The People's Committee of Que Phong district did not agree with this proposal of the investor. Because they found that the proposal of the investor was not in accordance with the provisions of the law; there was no consistency in policy implementation; and when the people were deprived of their rights, complicated problems could arise.

In the Hua Na Hydropower resettlement area, the rice-growing land has gone through four crops but the yield is very low. Photo: Nhat Lan

In the past 2 years, the settlement of problems in the Hua Na Hydropower Resettlement Project has received the attention and direction of the Government; and has been coordinated, reviewed, and commented on by relevant Ministries. In December 2020, based on the results of the monitoring, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province sent a document requesting the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to pay attention, send a document requesting the Government and proactively coordinate with relevant ministries and branches to promptly guide the handling of the difference in agricultural land value between the departure and arrival places of the Hua Na Hydropower Project.