Land exchanged at Hong Thuong resettlement area is mixed with rocks, people cannot produce.

The exchange of rice land for people in the resettlement area of ​​A Luoi hydropower plant (Hong Thuong commune, A Luoi district) has only been implemented on 9/24ha, while 15ha are left fallow or under production. In recent years, people in Hong Thuong have repeatedly petitioned the local government about the 15ha of rice land exchanged for 63 households in this resettlement area being mixed with rocks, without an irrigation system, and unable to produce.

Based on the petitions of the people, the departments, branches and local authorities have met many times to discuss and propose solutions such as supporting production, investing in irrigation, converting crops, etc., but so far they have not been effective, because the land is too barren, gravelly, and has no plowing base. The area of ​​land granted in exchange has about 9 hectares of land that people produce "thanks to God", while the remaining 6 hectares are completely abandoned because they cannot be renovated and the irrigation investment plan is also difficult to implement.

The A Luoi Hydropower Resettlement Area was established in 2011, including 106 households with 567 people relocated to the resettlement area from Hong Thai, Son Thuy, and Hong Thuong communes. These are households that transferred land due to the impact of the A Luoi Hydropower Reservoir. From the first 106 households, up to now, the resettlement area has been divided into 2 villages, A Den and A Sap, with 170 households and more than 600 people.

According to the People's Committee of Hong Thuong commune, households subject to resettlement by the A Luoi hydropower project are granted an average of 2,000m2 of residential land per household and 10,500m2 of production land. Of which, 2,500m2 of rice land and 8,000m2 of production forest land. The area granted in exchange at the resettlement area corresponds to the area previously affected by the A Luoi hydropower project.

Previously, the Provincial People's Committee also agreed on the investment plan for irrigation systems for areas that can be improved for rice production. For areas that cannot be improved, compensation will be made in cash so that people can receive the transfer of rice land in neighboring localities. The Provincial People's Committee assigned the A Luoi District People's Committee to advise and propose the Central Hydropower Corporation to consider and support compensation for the people.

Mr. Le Quang Vinh, Chairman of Hong Thuong Commune People's Committee, said that the 15-hectare land area has been planned for the Can Tom - Hong Thuong industrial cluster, and the district People's Committee is promoting investment calls. People wish to be compensated in cash for the above land area, however, compensation according to regulations cannot be implemented.

Hong Thuong resettlement area, A Luoi district faces difficulties in cultivation due to barren land.

Not to mention the compensation and support for people to change their jobs and production with a total estimated cost of about 32 billion VND, a large amount of money for the local government. While waiting for investment calls, the commune continues to have policies to support people in production, and at the same time proposes the district to find a suitable solution.

According to the People's Committee of A Luoi district, the 15-hectare area of ​​the A Luoi Hydropower Plant site clearance compensation project (actually assigned to households is more than 16 hectares of water-filled rice fields in exchange for 63 resettlement households in Hong Thuong commune), this area has been planned for the Can Tom - Hong Thuong industrial cluster according to the Prime Minister's decision approving the planning of Thua Thien Hue province for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050.

After many years of implementing compensation policies, this area has not yet met all the conditions for growing rice. The People's Committee of A Luoi district and the People's Committee of Hong Thuong commune have coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement many plans such as land improvement, crop conversion, non-rice cultivation, and irrigation investment for 7 hectares (in the above area) that are capable of cultivation, but all have not brought about the desired results, making it difficult to continue growing rice as requested by the people.

Currently, people are requesting compensation in cash. However, according to regulations, compensation in cash for people must have an approved investment project (calling for non-budgetary investment or State investment according to the industrial cluster infrastructure planning), but it is difficult to implement at this time, because the industrial cluster infrastructure in the district has particularly difficult socio -economic conditions, at the same time, the State investment plan requires many resources and feasibility in calling for secondary investment.

Therefore, the Provincial People's Committee has directed the A Luoi District People's Committee to continue to have plans to support people, such as sending a document to the Central Hydropower Corporation - Investor of A Luoi Hydropower Plant to consider and support people, study the plan to exchange forestry land... during the implementation of investment promotion of the Can Tom - Hong Thuong Industrial Cluster Project and coordinate with relevant agencies to strengthen investment calling.

Started in 2007 on the A Sap River, the A Luoi Hydropower Project affects nearly 2,000 hectares of land of more than 1,300 households in the district. Of which, 205 households living in the reservoir must be relocated... Up to now, the land exchange for rice production for people in the Hong Thuong resettlement area has only been implemented on 9/24 hectares, the remaining 15 hectares cannot be produced due to the unsuitable cultivation layer.
Article and photos: HA NGUYEN