People "waiting" for red books in resettlement areas

After many landslides caused by high tides and floodwaters eroding the end of the Tra Khuc River, households in Khe Nam hamlet (Truong Dinh village, Tinh Khe commune, Quang Ngai city) were given the opportunity by the local government to move to a new place to avoid landslides that could endanger their lives and property. However, the joy was short-lived, as they have not been granted a red book for 20 years.

*Khe Nam residential area - where households in landslide areas along the river are resettled.*

Mr. Phan Dinh Phung's family in Khe Nam hamlet said that in 2001, due to the serious landslide situation along the Tra Khuc river, according to the policy of relocating people, the family of 5 members left a plot of land of more than 500 m2 to settle in the Khe Nam resettlement area. At the time of relocation, the house, architectural works, trees and crops on the old plot of land (the eroded plot of land) were not compensated but only received 800,000 VND in support from the state.

His family has applied for a red book. However, after more than two decades, many petitions and wishes have been expressed, but the land plot of nearly 300 square meters at the new residence has not yet been granted a red book.

“I submitted the red book of the riverside land so that they could make a new red book at the resettlement site, but I have not seen it yet. I don’t know the reason, sometimes they said it was stuck in the planning of the green park, sometimes they promised again and again… until now,” Mr. Phung said in frustration.

*People in Khe Nam village are frustrated because they have been waiting for their red books for more than 20 years.*

Similar to Mr. Phan Dinh Phung's family, in Khe Nam hamlet, Mr. Lam Van Tuan and his wife, Mrs. Phan Thi Kim Cuc, have also been waiting for their land use right certificates for more than ten years, from the time when Tinh Khe commune was still part of Son Tinh district, until 2014 when it was merged into Quang Ngai city according to Resolution 123 of the Government.

“We came here legally, the government “showed us land” to live on, so we can’t spend such a large amount of money to get a red book, knowing that it’s a scam. In the past, land prices in this area were very high, if we had a red book, people would be less disadvantaged. But without one, we have to accept it, we can’t buy or sell anything,” Mr. Lam added.

According to many households, from 2001 to now, people have repeatedly filed applications for red books. The most recent time was in 2019, when receiving the application, the Quang Ngai City Land Registration Office Branch returned the application, with the reason that when comparing the new rural land use planning map of Tinh Khe commune, period 2011 - 2015, orientation to 2020 (approved by the People's Committee of Son Tinh district in Decision No. 3005/QD-UBND dated December 14, 2011), the land plots of the households were all in the green land planning. Therefore, these households were not eligible for red books.

*11 households here have not been granted red books.*

Speaking to reporters, Chairman of Tinh Khe Commune People's Committee Vo Minh Chinh said that Khe Nam hamlet has 11 households that were resettled due to landslides but have not been granted red books, which is a long-standing problem in the locality. Currently, there is only one case, Mr. To Sum, who has been granted a red book.

Mr. Chinh said that according to the land use plan until 2030 and the first year land use plan of Quang Ngai City approved in Decision 834/QD-UBND dated September 15, 2021, the land use plan for 2023 of Quang Ngai City approved in Decision No. 1571/QD-UBND dated December 31, 2022, the location of these land plots belongs to the residential land use plan.

“After reviewing, in the land use planning until 2030 and the land use plan for the first year of 2023 of Quang Ngai City, the location of these plots of land has been changed from public green land to residential land planning. Therefore, the People's Committee of Tinh Khe Commune has just submitted a proposal to the People's Committee of Quang Ngai City to consider and direct specialized departments to issue red books to households resettled in Khe Nam hamlet.

The People's Committee of Tinh Khe commune will work with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Quang Ngai City to review all related documents to resolve all problems. After that, complete the procedures according to the provisions of law and submit them to the People's Committee of Quang Ngai City to issue the red book," said Mr. Chinh.

We hope that the authorities of Quang Ngai city and province will review the planning to issue land use right certificates so that people can feel secure in settling down and producing.

Source