City chairman commits to ensure Thu Thiem residents' legitimate rights

Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong yesterday committed to fully recording opinions from people in Thu Thiem new urban area, District 2, to handle violations and ensure the legitimate rights of the people.

Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong shakes hands with a residents at a meeting with people relating to Thu Thiem new urban area on October 18 (Photo: SGGP)
Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong shakes hands with a residents at a meeting with people relating to Thu Thiem new urban area on October 18 (Photo: SGGP)
He made the commitment at a meeting with residents related to Thu Thiem new urban area, saying after receiving residents’ consensus, the city People’s Committee has built policies to ensure their rights.
On behalf of the city People’s Committee, HCMC chief inspector Nguyen Long Tuyen informed some conclusions of the Government Inspectorate about Thu Thiem new urban area.
According to the conclusions, the city’s decision to withdraw 4.3 hectares of land in Quarter 1, Binh An ward is lack of legal basis and not in line with the plan approved by the Prime Minister.
Hence, the city People’s Committee should have suitable measures to tackle the issue.
Cadastral Survey-Work Company, Cadastral Department, District 2 People’s Committee and HCMC People’s Committee are responsible for violations while implementing the project. The city People’s Committee will strictly implement conclusions by the Government Inspectorate and settle relevant individuals and organizations before November 30 this year.
Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said that after inspection conclusions were made, the city has drawn a plan to implement and establish two working groups to build compensation and assistance policy for residents.
The city People’s Committee has determined 11 problems in need of settlement with ten of these relating to households in the boundary of Thu Thiem new urban area and one concerning households outside the boundary.
The city is urgent to settle these problems before November 30.
“Today, we collect opinions about compensation policies for those locating in the 4.3 hectare area to best solve residents’ rights,” he stressed.
Chairman of District 2 People’s Committee Nguyen Phuoc Hung, who is head of an interagency team set up to settle complaints of Thu Thiem people, said that the number of households locating in the 4.3 hectare area will be determined after the Department of Natural Resource and Environment fix the boundary.
The interagency team proposes land swop according to Article 74, the Land Law 2013. Residents will receive properties with area same with their old places. Three locations with the total area of 18,000 square meters have been chosen to complete infrastructure to swoop  for residents’ land.
The team has also hired consultants to assess residents’ properties and invite residents to attend to calculate value difference.
Mr. Hung said that, the 4.3 hectares area has about 300 households. Many of these have received compensation and removed to resettlement sites. If they agree to stay in the sites, the city will recalculate the compensation and pay them the deficiency.
Listening to residents, seeking consensus
Attending the reception was 22 out of the total of 30 invited households whose houses are located in the 4.3 hectare area.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thach said that the area outside the boundary of Thu Thiem New Urban Area must be larger than the 4.3 hectares which have been determined in Binh An ward. So the city should make clear this problem to prevent from futher complaints.
In addition, the city has not determined households locating in and outside the boundary and invited only 30 households to the reception, making uninvited ones angy.
In response, chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said that the city would organize two receptions, one with those in the boundary and one with those outside the boundary. The second one is scheduled in November 2018.
“The city is not afraid of meeting residents,” he said. The city People’s Committee must temporarily divide them in two groups to fully listen to their opinions and seek their consensus.
Sharing the same view with Mr. Thach, Mr. Nguyen Van Lung said that ten years ago, city authorized agencies determined that the 4.3 hectares are outside the boundary of Thu Thiem New Urban Area. However residents’ properties in the area have still been coerced. That has seriously affected their lives. So how damage which the coercive has caused for residents will be solved, he asked.
Some people have concerned that the city will impose polices to them.
In response, chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong affirmed no imposition, saying that he was willing to listen to residents to seek consensus. After relevant sides agree with solutions, the city will organize implementation.
While carrying out the inspection conclusions, the city has been of the consistent view to ensure rights of residents and investors and handle violators.
Some households suggested to return to their old places because the 4.3 hectares have been determined to lay outside the boundary of the new urban area project.
Mr. Phong said that besides the 4.3 hectare area, there are many other areas outside the boundary in Quarter 1, Binh An Ward. The city People’s Committee will fully report to the Government Inspectorate to solve.
The Government has sent a working group to coordinate with HCMC Government to implement the conclusions because there are problems beyond the city’s jurisdiction, he added.

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