Mobilize local residents to agree to hand over the wetland area in Con Vanh.

Recently, Tien Hai district has actively propagated and mobilized people to agree to hand over the wetland area in Con Vanh (Nam Phu) whose leases have expired, in order to implement projects in the Thai Binh Economic Zone. However, to date, there are still individuals involved in 8 wetland plots with a total area of over 63 hectares in Nam Phu commune who have not agreed to hand over the land, so Tien Hai district has had to apply coercive measures according to regulations.

Báo Thái Bình•08/05/2025

The lagoon area in Nam Phu commune (Tien Hai district).

Locals have agreed to hand over more than 200 hectares of wetland land whose leases have expired.

Nam Phu commune has 1,000 hectares of coastal wetlands to serve economic development. Following the directives from higher authorities regarding the development of the Thai Binh Economic Zone, the commune has focused on disseminating information and mobilizing households to hand over their wetlands whose leases have expired to implement key projects. Mr. Dang Van Khuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Phu commune, said: From 2023 to the present, the commune has focused on disseminating information and mobilizing households, and most households have handed over their coastal wetland areas. Among them, 17 individuals voluntarily handed over 18 wetland plots totaling 200.51 hectares to implement projects in the area. Most officials, Party members, and the people agree with the provincial and district policies on implementing investment projects in the coastal area of the commune.

According to Ms. Pham Thi Tho from Hop Pho village (Nam Phu commune), the coastal lagoons were previously leased by the commune's People's Committee to lagoon owners for aquaculture. However, the leases expired long ago and were not renewed. When information emerged about reclaiming the lagoons for projects in the Con Vanh sea area, the villagers and commune residents unanimously agreed, with many households even handing over their lagoons to the commune for project implementation. We hope that the projects will be implemented and put into operation soon, thereby creating a highlight, transforming the Con Vanh area, and developing local coastal tourism .

There are still over 63 hectares of wetland land that have not been handed over.

Despite repeated awareness campaigns, dialogues, and administrative penalties issued by provincial, district, and commune authorities, many individuals involved in the eight ponds covering over 63 hectares of aquaculture land in the Con Vanh area have yet to hand over the land to the local authorities. According to land survey maps from 2011, 2014, and the 2023 cadastral survey, the land area of over 701,292 ^m² is designated as aquaculture land, with the Nam Phu Commune People's Committee leasing 70,925 ^m² to Mr. Tran Van Thuyet and Mr. Dinh Van Phuong . The land, covering 630,367.9 ^m², was leased to Mr. Pham Hoai Nam and Mr. Dinh Quang Nghi (Mr. Nghi died on July 15, 2020) for shrimp farming under the Ramsar program since 1991. During the contract period, Mr. Tran Van Thuyet, Mr. Dinh Van Phuong, Mr. Pham Hoai Nam, Mr. Dinh Quang Nghi, and Mr. Dinh Quang Nghi's heirs failed to fulfill their contractual obligations. From 2007 to the present, they have not followed the approved technical design but have only constructed embankments for aquaculture; they have not directly used the pond area to implement the Ramsar model but have instead arbitrarily leased the pond to seven other individuals for aquaculture. In March 2024, the People's Committee of Nam Phu commune issued an administrative violation report against 17 individuals, including heirs of Mr. Dinh Quang Nghi and Mr. Pham Hoai Nam, for occupying 630,367.9 ^m² of agricultural land in the rural area (Nam Phu commune, Tien Hai district) since March 18, 2024, for aquaculture purposes. The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee issued a decision to impose administrative penalties on the heirs of Mr. Dinh Quang Nghi and Mr. Pham Hoai Nam, applying remedial measures such as requiring them to remove their assets and return the occupied 630,367.9 ^m² of agricultural land to the People's Committee of Nam Phu commune for management. The individuals who violated the regulations filed complaints with the Provincial People's Committee, which then organized dialogues and issued initial decisions resolving the complaints for the heirs of Mr. Dinh Quang Nghi and Mr. Pham Hoai Nam. Five individuals related to the inheritance of Mr. Dinh Quang Nghi filed complaints with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment). In April 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment issued decisions resolving the complaints of the five individuals. In these decisions, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment acknowledged and upheld the content of the decisions of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee regarding the initial resolution of the complaints of the five individuals mentioned above.

Enforcement will be carried out if residents refuse to hand over the wetland land.

Regarding the more than 60 hectares of shrimp farming land designated under the Ramsar program in Nam Phu commune, on April 17, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee issued a plan to enforce remedial measures against 14 individuals who are heirs of Mr. Dinh Quang Nghi and 5 individuals who are heirs of Mr. Tran Van Thuyet and Mr. Dinh Van Phuong. In accordance with the Provincial People's Committee's plan, the Tien Hai District People's Committee developed an enforcement plan to ensure the strict enforcement of the law against those who do not voluntarily comply with the administrative penalty decisions of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

According to Mr. Pham Ngoc Ke, Chairman of the Tien Hai District People's Committee: The enforcement of measures to remedy the consequences of administrative penalties for land-related violations in Nam Phu commune aims to uphold the rule of law, social justice, and contribute to the socio-economic development of the locality. Therefore, the district government hopes to receive the consensus and cooperation of the people. Relevant specialized agencies, localities, and units will continue to coordinate in disseminating information and mobilizing support, while also preparing manpower, materials, and equipment. If households still refuse to hand over the wetland area, the authorities will proceed with enforcement according to the law.