‘A Legacy of Land: 10,000 Square Meters and Still Struggling to Make Ends Meet’

On July 10, the delegation of National Assembly deputies from Ho Chi Minh City’s Unit 5 held a post-session meeting with voters in Tan Binh District, following the 7th session of the 15th National Assembly.

The delegation, comprising Mr. Nguyen Minh Duc, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for National Defense and Security, and Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Enterprise Renovation Management Board, listened to the voters’ concerns.

Disappointment with the Hy Vong Canal Project

Voter Hoang Cong Su stated that the expansion project of Tran Quoc Hoan Street is a key project for the city. Therefore, residents are willing to relocate and clear the area to help alleviate the current traffic congestion in the area.

However, according to Mr. Su, despite the ongoing construction, about half of the households that are supposed to be completely cleared have not received any notification regarding relocation, clearance, or compensation.

“Especially, 9 households on C12 Street are like living on a completely isolated island as the surrounding areas have already been cleared and are under construction day and night,” said Mr. Su, adding that apart from suffering from the noise and dust caused by the construction, these households are also under mental pressure as others assume that they are unwilling to relocate for the project to proceed.

Voter Tran Ngoc Cuong shared that the Hy Vong Canal Project, despite its promising name, has been a disappointment. According to him, this canal is the main drainage channel for Tan Son Nhat Airport, but every rainy season, the area experiences flooding and water overflow.

Moreover, due to the suspended project, about 200 households living along the canal are affected: during the dry season, the canal emits a foul odor, and in the rainy season, the overflowing water brings pollution to the residents on both sides of the canal.

“The people are eager for the project to be implemented and are even willing to donate their land,” Mr. Cuong expressed.

In response to the voters’ concerns, Ms. Le Thi Thu Suong, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Tan Binh District, provided an update on the progress. She stated that the Tran Quoc Hoan – Cong Hoa Street project affects 85 cases, including 67 households and 1 organization that are eligible for land compensation and support. There are also 17 cases of units and organizations that are not eligible for land compensation and support.

Currently, the district’s People’s Committee and the Compensation, Support, and Resettlement Council for the project have finalized the draft compensation and support policies, as well as the compensation and support plan for the 67 households and 1 organization.

Additionally, the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Infrastructure Construction Management Board is coordinating with the district’s People’s Committee to establish, review, and approve the 1/500 scale master plan for the resettlement land, which will serve as the basis for issuing land retrieval decisions and compensation and support decisions for these 68 cases.

Regarding the Hy Vong Canal Project, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council has approved the investment policy in Resolution 05 on supplementing the medium-term public investment plan for the 2021-2025 period from the local budget’s reserve capital for medium-term public investment. The city’s departments are also in the process of completing the necessary procedures to approve the implementation of the project.

Legal Obstacles

Mr. Nguyen Minh Duc, on behalf of the delegation, addressed the voters’ concerns regarding suspended projects. He informed them that the National Assembly has a dedicated supervision program for planning and has also issued a comprehensive program for national planning, regional planning, provincial planning, and sector planning.

Specifically, in Ho Chi Minh City, as of 2022, there were approximately 300 suspended projects. The People’s Council of Ho Chi Minh City has issued a resolution to address these projects, and over 1,400 projects have been handled and retrieved. Of these, 402 projects have been completely resolved, 741 projects are in the process of being executed, and 302 projects are still in the reporting and reviewing stages.

According to Mr. Duc, based on the voters’ feedback, the Ho Chi Minh City government has been resolute in addressing these issues. However, they face numerous challenges, especially with the Law on Planning.

Mr. Duc shared that the National Assembly is currently discussing the Law on Urban and Rural Planning, which is expected to be passed at the 8th session. Many delegates have conveyed the voters’ message, hoping that the law will be crafted scientifically and rigorously.

“We, along with the voters, wish for those involved in planning to have a long-term vision and to integrate the four types of planning to create a holistic approach, avoiding a piecemeal approach that leads to suspended planning,” Mr. Duc stated.

Acknowledging the plight of those living in areas affected by suspended planning, Mr. Duc shared that he has participated in separate surveys and visited areas with tens of thousands of residents who have been living with suspended planning for decades.

“There are people who inherited up to 10,000 square meters of land from their ancestors but are still unable to generate income from it and have to work as ironworkers to make a living. We deeply empathize with their situation,” Mr. Duc said, adding that while the National Assembly is well aware of these issues, the legal system currently presents obstacles.

Mr. Duc, the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for National Defense and Security, concluded by expressing his desire to not only listen to the voters’ opinions but also to visit and engage with them more frequently. This, he believes, will enable him to formulate policies, review projects, and contribute to the development of laws, particularly the Law on Urban and Rural Planning.