In recent news, the planned enforcement by authorities in Ward 1, Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province, to dismantle two illegally constructed buildings belonging to the Golf Club House project within the Cu Hill Golf Course of Hoang Gia DL Joint Stock Company has garnered significant public attention, especially from Da Lat residents. The enforcement was postponed due to the emergence of a court order for temporary emergency measures.
Strict Handling:
On July 19, at the monthly press briefing of Lam Dong Province, the leadership of the Provincial Department of Construction stated that the construction permit issued by the department (for building a portion of the basement) has been revoked, making the current structure an unauthorized construction.
A reporter from Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper raised the issue of the challenges faced in addressing violations at this site and public concerns about the investor prolonging the process to find ways to “rescue” or “legalize” the violations. The reporter asked, “Please provide the viewpoint and handling plan of the People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province regarding this project in the future.”
Mr. Ngo Van Ninh, Chief of Office of the Provincial People’s Committee, affirmed the province’s stance that any violations must be handled and rectified carefully, following proper procedures. The province is currently working on matters related to court decisions and conducting reviews to direct handling in the coming time.
Mr. Bui Thang, Head of the Provincial Committee for Propaganda and Education, explained that the violator had filed a complaint, leading the court to issue a decision on temporary emergency measures. Therefore, the enforcement must be temporarily postponed, and the current state must be maintained to allow the court to inspect, evaluate, and determine issues related to the dispute.
Mr. Bui Thang, Head of the Lam Dong Provincial Committee for Propaganda and Education, speaks at the press conference.
According to Mr. Thang, there were some hiccups during the two attempts by the functional forces to enforce the dismantling, so now they must proceed meticulously.
The Head of the Provincial Committee for Propaganda and Education asserted that the violations at the Golf Club House project are very serious. The viewpoint of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Standing Committee, and the Provincial People’s Committee is to handle the case seriously and strictly abide by the law.
“These are very serious violations, and the province is directing resolute handling based on the principle of upholding the law, without any cover-up or exemption,” Mr. Bui Thang emphasized.
The illegally constructed building spanning over 17,000 square meters within the Cu Hill Golf Course.
Lam Dong Provincial Court Revokes Decision
On July 19, the Lam Dong Provincial Court issued a decision to revoke the temporary emergency measures that it had imposed on July 17 regarding the unauthorized construction at the Golf Club House project of Hoang Gia DL Joint Stock Company.
According to the Lam Dong Provincial Court, Hoang Gia DL Joint Stock Company filed a complaint against the administrative violation handling decision and the enforcement decision for remedial measures by the Chairman of the Da Lat City People’s Committee.
After examining the relevant documents, the Lam Dong Provincial Court found that the enforcement decision of the Da Lat City People’s Committee only addressed the remedial measure of dismantling the unauthorized construction specified in the administrative violation handling minutes in the field of construction. Hoang Gia DL Joint Stock Company had also agreed on the starting date for the dismantling of the unauthorized construction on June 11 and complied with the dismantling process as recorded in the working minutes… The court cited other bases and decided to revoke the temporary emergency measures.
Also, on July 19, the People’s Court of Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, conducted an on-site examination and assessment of the unauthorized construction at the Golf Club House project related to a contract dispute between Van Lang Limited Company and Anh Quoc SG Limited Company, with Hoang Gia DL Joint Stock Company as a party with related rights and obligations.
Commenting on the matter, Lawyer Tran Minh Hung, Head of the Gia Dinh Law Office, stated that while there are assertions that the enterprise intentionally prolonged the enforcement period, the authorities need to be more resolute. However, as the case involves various issues such as asset inventory and determination of the project’s scale, it is understandable that careful calculations regarding plans, techniques, budgets, and procedures are necessary to avoid legal risks.
Case of Over 37.5 Hectares of Lost Forest Transferred to the Police
Regarding the signs of violations at the The Dàlat At 1200 golf course project, spanning two districts of Duc Trong and Don Duong, as reported by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, at the press conference, Mr. Ngo Van Ninh said that the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has directed the Forest Ranger Department to transfer the case file to the Investigative Police of Don Duong District Police to investigate the loss of 37.5 hectares of forest in this project.
The Dàlat At 1200 project has an initial investment of $18 million, with a land area of 567 hectares and a water surface of 183 hectares. Acteam International Limited Company was granted an investment certificate by the People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province in April 2007, with a second change made in 2009.
A comparison of forest changes between the two forest inventories in 2007 and 2022 at the project site revealed a loss of more than 37.5 hectares of forest.
The Cu Hill Scandal: A Case of Verbal “Consent”?
“Representatives from the Hoang Gia DL Joint-Stock Company asserted that the construction of unauthorized structures in Doi Cu was done with the ‘approval of their connections at the provincial level’.”
