(BGO) – In order to attract more projects, the authorities of the northern province of Bac Giang have come up with sound site clearance measures, thereby creating a clean land fund for investors.
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Construction of path leading to Dong Son bridge’s section through Tan Tien commune (Bac Giang city).
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Positive changes
Over the past time, the provincial People’s Committee requested the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment to work with relevant agencies, Bac Giang city, districts, and investors to reclaim land and pay compensation for displaced residents.
Before clearing the ground for each project, the department conducted land reclamation and compensation in the right order in the principle of democracy, openness and transparency. Land compensation prices are close to the market rates to ensure the interest of their owners. In order to save time, the department assigned the Land Development Centre to actively complete related procedures such as announcing land reclamation; sending cadres to households to instruct them to measure land area, and setting up compensation plans, among others.
Particularly, the department partnered with grassroots authorities, especially officials of villages and residential areas, to raise public awareness of the purpose and significance of projects.
For land reclamation cases in which families have been relocated, the department in collaboration with cities and districts devised proper and timely planning for new living places. Therefore, site clearance of key projects has met schedule.
Box: At the monthly meeting in January, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Linh said the province set site clearance as one of the priority tasks this year, contributing to boosting the local socio-economic development. Therefore, authorities at all levels need to give high priority to this mission.
An Khanh – Bac Giang thermal power plant in Vu Xa industrial cluster, Luc Nam district is a major and large-scale project covering an area of nearly 75ha, with a total investment of more than 22 trillion VND. Thanks to drastic efforts, the department cleared more than 11ha and handed over it to the investor within less than one month. Deputy Director of the department’s Land Development Centre Vu Cuong said at first, several households disagreed with the compensation rate, saying that it is low. Later, the centre and communal People’s Committee and village chiefs met each household and explained that the construction will boost the socio-economic development and generate jobs for locals. Gradually, the households gave their nod. The centre then devised and submitted a plan to revoke the remaining 35ha for the first phase to authorised agencies, which is scheduled for completion this June.
In mid-2016, many households in Tan Tien commune, Bac Giang city, deliberately converted paddy land for perennial crop cultivation, making it hard for the provincial People’s Committee to set up the compensation plan for a new urban area in the south. To untie the knot, the department advised the provincial People’s Committee to pay 19,000 – 72,000 VND for each sq.m of tree diameter, which was also agreed by households. Similarly, the site clearance for the Song Khe – Noi Hoang industrial park and international logistics infrastructure projects has achieved positive results.
Continue to remove obstacles
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Clearing ground for construction of An Khanh – Bac Giang thermal power plant.
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In fact, compensation and land clearance still face many obstacles. Many households that have reclaimed land disagree with compensation and refuse to measure land areas, therefore slowing the progress of the project. In some places, land subject to reclamation is encroachment which is used for improper purposes. Households intentionally make land transfer so that it takes a long time for agencies to determine their origin and set up compensation plans. Consequently, the People’s Committees of Bac Giang city and districts where projects are based need to deploy personnel to targeted areas to solve difficulties. During the course of implementation, if any problem arises, authorities at all levels must directly visit each household to check and determine the cause and take measures, avoiding any occurrences. At the same time, localities need to actively coordinate with investors to raise public awareness of abiding by local policies, thus creating consensus.
According to the People’s Committee of Viet Yen district, in order to complete key tasks on site clearance this year, the district established a working group comprising representatives of agencies, trade unions and leaders of communes and townships. It is tasked with mobilising and guiding people to how to declare their land parcels. The district will soon make planning and build resettlement areas to ensure legitimate rights and interests of households.
Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment Bui Quang Huy said his unit will recommend the provincial People’s Committee to continue reviewing and refining regulations on site clearance policies, and actively work with Bac Giang city and districts to fully fix existing shortcomings. It will do a good job of planning to provide a basis for land reclamation, seriously follow the mechanism of democracy and openness in compensation, and support resettlement in line with State regulations. Apart from above measures, investors need to actively arrange funding and timely provide compensation right after reclamation.
Minh - Thuong
Bắc Ninh
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