Construction of Xom Rai Resettlement Area ensures safety, stability and sustainability

Solid concrete stilt houses with sturdy new roofs are gradually emerging in the resettlement area of Rai hamlet, Muong Vang commune. The sounds of laughter and construction machinery have replaced the atmosphere of panic and fear of the terrifying days of September 2024. With the decisive and responsible participation of authorities at all levels and the consensus of the people, a new, safe and stable life is gradually taking shape.

Back in September 2024, storm No. 3 ( Yagi ) left a deep wound on the land of Muong Vang. Prolonged heavy rain turned the hill above Rai hamlet into a giant "time bomb". Mr. Bui Van Thui, Head of Rai hamlet, recalled: "Vertical cracks appeared one after another, stretching nearly a kilometer on the top of the hill. Many landslides sank 2 to 3 meters deep, forming death stairs. The estimated mass of rock and soil was up to 1.5 million ^{m3 and} could collapse at any time.

Slide marks on the top of Xom Rai mountain in mid-September 2024

Disaster was no longer a threat. The landslide had buried four houses, many others had cracked and collapsed. Underground water surged to the surface, turning many areas into muddy fields that seemed ready to collapse. The lives and property of 111 households with 539 people were directly threatened.

Industries and organizations supporting people in Rai hamlet affected by natural disasters

Faced with this situation, the local government urgently evacuated 66 households from the danger zone. People took temporary shelter at cultural houses, relatives’ houses, and even set up temporary shelters in the fields. Safety was the top priority, but worries about the future and about where to live still weighed heavily on every household.

Authorities coordinate to speed up the progress of the resettlement area of Rai hamlet.

In that context, building a safe and synchronous resettlement area is not only a temporary solution but also an urgent political task. A "lightning campaign" has been deployed, many problems have been grasped and resolved. The location chosen to build the resettlement area is about 300m from the landslide site. This is a flat area, formerly the cultivated land of the people of Rai hamlet.

This choice is carefully calculated, ensuring absolute safety against the risk of landslides and floods, while not being too far from the old place of residence, helping people maintain their lifestyle, customs and habits, and making it convenient for travel and living. The project has a scale of 131 residential plots (111 plots for affected households and 20 reserve plots), each plot is about ^200m2 wide on a total leveled area of nearly 6ha. The total investment is up to 72.46 billion VND, of which the central government supports 50 billion VND.

Mr. Bui Van Lien - Director of Lac Son District Land Fund Development Center, shared: "We determined that this is an extremely urgent task, but we must put the quality and safety of the people first. The goal is to put the project into service for the people as soon as possible."

Many households have built houses in the new resettlement area.

The Project Management Board has coordinated with the contractor to utilize the land source from the nearby Canh Tang Lake project to speed up the construction progress. Essential and synchronous infrastructure items are deployed in parallel such as: Internal traffic roads, solid earth retaining system, rainwater and wastewater drainage system, domestic water supply system, electricity, fire protection and other welfare works.

After a short time, with the tireless efforts of the government and the construction unit, the resettlement area has been formed. The new roads are paved, flat and clean, and the electricity and water systems are ready.

Mr. Bui Van Thui, Head of Rai Hamlet, could not hide his joy: "People are very excited. The fear of being buried by rocks and soil is gone. About 30 households have started building houses. With the support of the State, we told each other to build sturdy concrete-pillar stilt houses, both preserving national identity and ensuring long-term safety."

The State’s support is a great source of encouragement. In addition to being granted land, each household in the emergency relocation area has received 30 million VND from the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee. Recently, the Provincial People’s Committee has decided to provide an additional 30 million VND/household, and is in the process of completing disbursement procedures.

Although the support amount cannot cover the entire cost of building a new house worth hundreds of millions of dong, it shows deep concern and is "seed capital" to give people more motivation and confidence to rebuild their lives.

The resettlement area of Xom Rai is located in the middle of the field, about 300 meters from the landslide area.

The success of the resettlement project in Xom Rai is not only the story of a locality, but also reflects the strategic vision and new approach in disaster prevention of Phu Tho province (after the merger). According to comrade Doan Quang Hung - Chairman of Muong Vang commune: The merger of administrative boundaries has brought great advantages in terms of land fund, helping to be more proactive in planning safe residential areas, associated with socio-economic development. The "4 on-site" motto is thoroughly implemented, the disaster prevention command apparatus is strengthened, and response plans are regularly reviewed and updated. The province is prioritizing resources to complete resettlement areas, while implementing longer-term solutions.

The resettlement project for Xom Rai not only solves an urgent social security problem but also creates a sustainable and safe living space where people can truly settle down and make a living.

Le Chung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/xay-dung-khu-tai-dinh-cu-xom-rai-dam-bao-an-toan-on-dinh-ben-vung-237450.htm