The Thanh Hoa City Lake Project, Phase II, was approved for investment by the Thanh Hoa City People's Committee on October 1, 2014. Located in the heart of Thanh Hoa City, the project is bordered to the north by Le Loi Boulevard, to the south and west by Thanh Hoa Lake, and to the east by Hac Thanh Street. It covers an area of 135,543 m², with a total investment of nearly 120 billion VND and a completion time of no more than 5 years. The project includes components such as a regulating lake, walking paths around the lake, a scenic bridge, drainage, and lighting.
The objective of this project was to restore the old Thanh Lake (part of the Thanh Lake project), including a system of water features, shady trees combined with pedestrian walkways and sports areas, a place for recreation and entertainment for the people, improving the quality of life and the urban environment... Contributing to the completion of technical infrastructure, creating a green, clean, and beautiful environment, regulating connectivity and local drainage for the inner city area of Thanh Hoa City. However, after only a few years of construction, from 2020 to the present, the project has been temporarily suspended, leaving many negative consequences and causing environmental pollution and public discontent.
Upon visiting the project site, we were shocked by the pollution and unsanitary conditions caused by the contractor's construction. Inside the canal surrounding the project, the water had turned pitch black, emitting a strong, foul odor. Large areas of the lake were densely covered with water hyacinths, some sections narrowed due to accumulated waste and mud, and obscured by overgrown weeds. Within the project, some construction items had been completed, such as stone embankments and safety railings around the lake. In many areas, construction materials were still scattered haphazardly, with no signs of ongoing construction activity.
Ms. Le Thi Mai, a resident living near the project (Tan Son Ward, Thanh Hoa City), said: "After the project started, people living around Thanh Lake were very happy. They thought the ward's appearance would change, and people would have a private space to relax after a hard day's work. However, after only a short period of construction, the project has stopped and it's unknown when it will restart. On hot or humid days, the foul smell from the surrounding canal is overwhelming, seriously affecting the lives of my family and neighboring households."
“At the city’s voter outreach meetings, we all expressed our opinions and made suggestions about speeding up the project’s construction progress. The leaders of Tan Son ward also reported this to the Thanh Hoa City People’s Committee, but probably due to various related issues, the project has not been able to resume construction yet,” said Ms. Mai.
According to Mr. Le Mai Khanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa City, the main reason for the temporary suspension of the project is the land clearance process.
Specifically, out of the 10 households whose houses and land are to be acquired for the project, only 3 have accepted the compensation and support plan, received money and resettlement land, and handed over the land. The remaining 7 households have not agreed to the compensation plan. In addition, there are difficulties in determining land prices and allocating resettlement land for these households. Recently, with the decisive direction of the City Party Committee, the People's Committee, and relevant city departments, the difficulties and obstacles have been resolved, and the remaining 7 households have agreed to accept compensation, support, and resettlement land to move to new residences. They are expected to be resettled at the 425 site in Phu Son ward and the residential area in Quang Thanh ward.
“The project has been temporarily suspended for a considerable period. This has caused numerous repercussions not only for the city but also for the construction contractor. Currently, we are urgently carrying out the final stages of compensation, land clearance, and resettlement for the aforementioned households. It is expected that the project will restart in June 2024 and be completed as planned,” Mr. Khanh added.
Source
Comment (0)