People live in poverty
In 2018, due to the impact of the historic flood on August 30-31, 2018, Ban Ve hydroelectric dam discharged floodwaters, causing many households in Ban Ve (Yen Na commune, Tuong Duong district, Nghe An) to have their houses eroded and lose their productive land.
To ensure safety and stabilize people's lives, the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, Nghe An province and Power Generation Corporation 1, Hydropower Project Management Board 2 agreed to build a resettlement area for 69 households in Xop Vi cluster, Xop Chao village (Luong Minh commune) with a cost of more than 25 billion VND and Khe Chong resettlement area (later transferred to Khe Co Chanh) to urgently relocate 19 households in Ban Ve (Yen Na commune) with a cost of more than 5.5 billion VND, the total of both items is about 30 billion VND.
However, after more than 6 years since the historic flood, people living in the 2 resettlement areas still cannot settle down.
At Khe Co Chanh resettlement area, Mr. Luong Kham Phanh (born in 1959), a Thai ethnic person, indignantly shared: "We are households affected by floods, losing our homes, losing our land, losing our jobs. When we moved to the new resettlement area, we were promised better infrastructure. However, after many years, we still have to raise our own funds and ask for help from benefactors to build some essential works for our daily life."
Ms. Vi Thi Mai (born in 1961), a Thai ethnic, wife of Mr. Luong Kham Phanh, added that her family is a poor household. When they arrived at the resettlement area, they no longer had fields, so they lost their main source of income. The family's economy had to rely on their children's money to survive.
“Because there is no electricity system to the village, we have to use electricity from the construction unit at twice the price. Our family only has a few electrical appliances such as light bulbs and televisions, but each month we have to pay 300,000 - 400,000 VND for electricity. This is a large amount of money for our family. Although we have petitioned many times, over the years, we have not received a satisfactory answer,” said Ms. Vi Thi Mai.
Witnessing the historic flood, Mr. Luong Van Dao (born in 1990), a Thai ethnic, said: “The resettlement area is located at the bottom of the hill, so every time it rains, water flows straight into the house, causing flooding. To solve this problem, a drainage system is needed, but so far, the investor has not yet provided funding for construction.”
According to Mr. Nguyen Phung Hung - Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Tuong Duong district, after arranging land to urgently relocate 19 households in Yen Na commune out of the landslide area caused by floods, the district proactively mobilized all resources to build urgent works for people to live while waiting for investors.
"Due to limited funding, the projects are still temporary and cannot really meet the needs of the people," said Mr. Nguyen Phung Hung.
Currently, at Khe Co Chanh Resettlement Area, traffic roads, anti-erosion embankment system, drainage system, and power supply system have not been built yet.
For the resettlement area of Xop Vi cluster, Xop Chao village (Luong Minh commune), there is still a lack of roads outside the village and roads in the residential area, Khe Pong bridge and water supply system.
6 years still cannot solve urgent tasks
To resolve issues related to compensation, support, and resettlement, on August 28, 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade submitted Report 218 on additional resettlement support for the Ban Ve Hydropower Project to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha.
Then, in Official Dispatch No. 7505 dated October 14, 2024 of the Government Office, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha commented: “Based on Report No. 218 dated August 28, 2024 and relevant legal provisions, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam Electricity Group, and Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, according to their assigned authority, functions and tasks, shall consider and handle in accordance with current legal provisions and the opinions of the Government leaders as directed in Notice No. 143 dated April 13, 2019 of the Government Office; promptly coordinate and implement measures to stabilize people's lives”.
However, by November 26, 2024, Power Generation Corporation 1 had Report No. 171 on the authority to allow additional resettlement support for the Ban Ve Hydropower Project.
In this document, Power Generation Corporation 1 stated that it does not have enough authority to decide on additional resettlement support outside the policy framework for the Project.
According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Hien - Vice Chairman of Tuong Duong District People's Committee, Report No. 171 of Power Generation Corporation 1 made the district government and people very disappointed.
"Compensation for people to stabilize their lives is an urgent task that has been directed by the Government and relevant levels many times. However, after many years, the problems have not been resolved to ensure the interests of the people, especially households belonging to ethnic minorities, with difficult circumstances and located in the border areas of the Fatherland," said Mr. Hien.
According to the leader of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, in the coming time, the district will continue to request the Vietnam Electricity Group and the People's Committee of Nghe An province to have a plan to soon arrange funds to implement support and resettlement, helping people affected by the Ban Ve hydropower project to soon stabilize their lives.
