A representative of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City said that the unit had issued a document on December 31, 2024 requesting the People's Committee of Binh Thanh District to urgently organize enforcement and force the implementation of remedial measures for the ancient house of Mr. Vuong Hong Sen, according to the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage.
The house of scholar Vuong Hong Sen (Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, Ward 14, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) was ranked as a city-level relic, according to the decision of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee in August 2003. Accordingly, this location is a traditional civil architectural and artistic relic. Therefore, according to regulations, construction and exploitation activities in the preserved area must be strictly prohibited.
Despite the petition, the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City said that for many years, this ancient house has been encroached upon by illegal constructions.
The Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City proposed to mobilize and force individuals and households residing in the relic site (except for the children and grandchildren of Mr. Vuong Hong Sen) to leave the relic site.
"Urgently organize enforcement and force the implementation of remedial measures against illegal construction works under the Law on Cultural Heritage, seriously violating the landscape of the traditional civil ancient house of Mr. Vuong Hong Sen, returning the relic to its original state and landscape" - a representative of the Department of Culture - Sports of Ho Chi Minh City shared.
According to the reporter's investigation, the ancient house of Mr. Vuong Hong Sen is currently in a state of disrepair, leaking in many places, and the house's rafters and roof tiles are rotten by termites. Many valuable artifacts and documents inside have been lost for unknown reasons.
