According to the plan, in 2024, the city will implement land acquisition and site clearance for 19 projects, including 5 key projects aimed at celebrating the 20th City Party Congress, term 2025-2030. To date, more than 42,300 m2 of land has been cleared; the total approved compensation and support funds amount to over 52 billion VND.

Over the years, Son La City has made efforts to do a good job in land acquisition, compensation, and site clearance.

To effectively carry out land acquisition, compensation, resettlement support, and site clearance for investment projects in accordance with the spirit of Directive No. 41-CT/TU dated March 16, 2024, of the Provincial Party Committee, the City Party Committee issued Decision No. 1890-QĐ/TU dated May 8, 2024, establishing the Steering Committee for site clearance of projects in Son La City.

The Steering Committee is tasked with inspecting, urging, and directing agencies, units, communes, and wards to accelerate the progress of compensation and land clearance for projects, and promptly resolving difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process related to land clearance and resettlement.

The City People's Committee regularly holds meetings to resolve difficulties and issues directives on land management and construction order in areas where land clearance for projects has been and is being implemented.

Strengthening inspections and resolutely handling violations, focusing on areas such as: Ban Mong Reservoir, Hua La Commune; the planned area for preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of the Son La Prison National Special Monument; the planned area for the Hoang Van Thu industrial cluster; and the planned area for the city's cemetery park project… As a result, in the first nine months of 2024, 12 land-related violations were inspected and processed, with total fines exceeding 83 million VND.

According to the city's People's Committee leaders, the process of land acquisition, compensation, and site clearance always involves close coordination between relevant departments, agencies, and units with the People's Committees of communes and wards where land is acquired. The role and responsibility of the head of each agency in land acquisition, compensation, and support, especially in verifying the origin of land use and the time of asset formation on the land, is emphasized.

In 2024, Son La city implemented land acquisition and site clearance for 19 projects.

City leaders have paid close attention to public relations work, organizing 23 dialogue meetings with citizens regarding land acquisition and compensation for site clearance; and 5 unscheduled meetings with citizens to address petitions related to land acquisition, compensation, support, and resettlement. For difficult issues exceeding their authority, the City People's Committee proactively and promptly compiled reports for the Provincial People's Committee and relevant departments and agencies for guidance in resolving the problems.

However, the implementation of land acquisition and site clearance for some projects is behind schedule, and some projects have generated complaints and petitions related to compensation, support, and resettlement plans. This is because the entire city is currently focusing on implementing many key projects with a large volume of work, requiring timely site clearance to facilitate investment and construction according to the planned schedule.

In order to improve the efficiency of land acquisition, compensation, support, and resettlement, contributing to the socio-economic development of the locality, in the coming time, Son La city will continue to focus on leading and directing specialized departments, units, and the People's Committees of communes and wards to implement comprehensive solutions in land acquisition, compensation, and site clearance.

Review and resolutely handle serious violations of land and construction regulations; prevent the construction of illegal structures; and prevent the creation of assets and construction of structures within areas where land acquisition notices have been issued. Strengthen dialogue and citizen engagement, and promptly and decisively address feedback and requests from the public related to land clearance.

The City Fatherland Front Committee and political and social organizations are closely coordinating with the government and relevant agencies and units to strengthen the dissemination of laws on compensation, support, resettlement, and land clearance, creating consensus and support from the people, helping to ensure the progress of project implementation, and preventing the emergence of hotspots that lead to complex complaints and grievances.

Source: Natural Resources and Environment Newspaper