VietNamNet Bridge – The landscape of Con Son-Kiep Bac special national heritage site in northern Hai Duong Province's Chi Linh Town is facing a high risk of being damaged due to the proposed construction of several multi-storey houses in the area.

Many land areas at the foot of Bac Dau, Mam Xoi and Tran Rong mountains have been damaged due to the use of machinery for land preparation prior to the construction of new homes by local residents.

Nguyen Duc Hoa, chairman of Chi Linh People's Committee, said thousands of households had lived here long before the national special heritage site was recognised last year.

"They have demanded the right to renovate or build new homes to improve their living conditions," he said.

Although renovating and building new homes had been banned since 2004, legitimate home owners are still allowed, he added.

"Challenges emerged due to the lack of resettlement land for thousands of households. In case residents who have for a long time depended on services businesses in the heritage site area are resettled in a far away area, what would they do to earn a living in the new resettlement area?" Hoa said.

Pham Khac Toan, chairman of Hung Dao People's Committee, said if local residents were relocated, they should be resettled and given conditions to work in which they could earn a living.

He said authorities should have specific maps that show people where they were not allowed to build houses within the heritage site and which specific areas needed to be preserved.

Chairman Hoa of Chi Linh People's Committee said local authorities were scheduled to discuss measures to deal with the issue at a meeting on July 25.

Initially, authorities had actively increased the dissemination of information in order to raise people's awareness and to inform them where not to build new houses and to not damage the heritage site.

Con Son-Kiep Bac, covering a total land area of 8ha, was recognised as a national heritage site in 1962 and a special national heritage site in 2012.

Source: VNS