“Overcoming difficulties” in site clearance for Hoa Binh - Moc Chau highway

The Hoa Binh - Moc Chau Expressway project is not only a key transport project connecting the Northwestern mountainous provinces but also contributes to promoting socio-economic development for the region. Like many other large projects, one of the biggest challenges that Cao Son commune authorities have to face is site clearance. However, with many efforts and creative approaches, Cao Son commune has successfully "overcome difficulties", creating high consensus and unanimity among the people, ensuring the project is implemented according to requirements and progress.

With the high consensus of the people, the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway project through Cao Son commune has completed site clearance work.

"Overcoming difficulties" in site clearance work

The Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway project passes through Cao Son commune with a total length of 9.7km. The project affects 389 households in 4 hamlets: Seo, Na Chieu, Tam and Lanh. These hamlets are mainly inhabited by ethnic minorities. In Tam hamlet, 100% of the population is Dao ethnic group. Na Chieu hamlet has 98% of Muong ethnic group. Lanh hamlet is inhabited by Tay and Muong ethnic groups. In Seo hamlet, the proportion of ethnic minorities is at least 50%. This creates obstacles in propaganda and mobilization of the people. Because, in life, the people here still maintain and strictly adhere to the customs and practices of their ethnic group. Including the taboo of moving the graves of their ancestors.

Construction Package No. 01 is constructed by Vietnam Construction and Import-Export Joint Stock Corporation - Management Board 1 in Seo hamlet, Cao Son commune.

According to the customs of the ethnic people, reburial or moving graves is taboo. Because they believe that if they touch the "negative part", their ancestors will punish them and cause disaster for the family. This makes the site clearance work very difficult, especially when the project affects the graves. In particular, in Tam hamlet alone, 9 households have to move their ancestors' graves. Mr. Trieu Phuc Tuan, Head of Tam hamlet, shared: Persuading people to agree to move the graves is an extremely big challenge. At first, people strongly objected because they were afraid that moving the graves would destroy the peace in the family. Therefore, no one agreed to move the ancestors' graves.

To solve this problem, the Cao Son commune Party Committee and government have assigned tasks to organizations, coordinated with hamlets, village elders, and prestigious people in residential areas to propagate, mobilize, and create consensus in the community. At the same time, meetings are organized to share information about the project and explain the benefits of building the highway. On the other hand, the government also committed to fully implementing compensation support policies for affected households, creating all conditions for people to move graves conveniently and reasonably. In addition to explaining the benefits of the project, commune officials also focused on listening to the difficulties and concerns of the people. At meetings in residential areas, people are informed, shared, and clearly explained by officials about the benefits that the project brings.

Mr. Trieu Phuc Tuan, Head of Tam hamlet, shared about the process of mobilizing people to relocate their ancestors' graves when implementing the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway project.

Exemplary party members, people agree

As a result, after a period of propaganda and mobilization, households with graves that need to be relocated have highly agreed and agreed to comply with the project's requirements. Up to now, the relocation of graves in Cao Son commune has been completed. Including 9 Dao ethnic households in Tam hamlet. This has created favorable conditions for the site clearance work to be implemented smoothly. Comrade Dinh Thanh Xuan, Vice Chairman of Cao Son Commune People's Committee, said: Up to now, nearly 100% of households affected by the project have received compensation and site clearance. The remaining households have not received compensation and site clearance support because they have not completed the procedures and are being supported by the local government to receive the money soon. Although most of their production land, houses, and gardens have been recovered, many households such as Mr. Dang Van Chung's family or Mr. Trieu Van Hoan's family in Tam hamlet have expressed their agreement with the project implementation.

Contractors gathered construction equipment and vehicles at Tam hamlet to carry out the project.

Mr. Dang Van Chung shared: We realize that donating land for road construction will bring long-term benefits to the whole community, contributing to the overall development of our homeland and country.

To achieve success in mobilizing people's consensus, an important factor that cannot be ignored is the role of the party cadres in the localities. During the project implementation process, the party cadres in the hamlets have promoted their exemplary role, taking the lead in mobilizing families and relatives to strictly implement state regulations. For example, party member Khuong Xuan Thu in Seo hamlet mobilized his family to become the first household in the hamlet to complete the handover of the site to the construction unit. From the pioneering and exemplary role of party member Khuong Xuan Thu, many households in the hamlet also completed the procedures and handed over the site early to the construction unit. Typically, some households, although not yet receiving compensation, have proactively "advanced" the site for the construction contractors, to ensure the progress of the project. Thanks to that, more than 4km of the project through Seo hamlet has completed the site clearance and handed over to the construction unit early.

Up to now, the site clearance work for the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway project through Cao Son commune has completed 99% of the work. During the implementation process, the whole commune has not received any complaints related to compensation and support for site clearance.

With the high consensus of the people, the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway section through Cao Son commune with a total length of 9.7km has gradually taken shape.

The Hoa Binh - Moc Chau Expressway Project is a key project of Phu Tho province, not only valuable in terms of infrastructure and traffic connection but also contributing to improving the quality of life of the people passing through the project. The success of Cao Son commune in mobilizing people to agree to implement the project is the clearest evidence of the close coordination between the government and the social community. When all parties are united, the greatest difficulties can be overcome.

Manh Hung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/vuot-kho-trong-cong-tac-giai-phong-mat-bang-duong-cao-toc-hoa-binh-moc-chau-236342.htm