The People’s Council of Hà Nội discuses on karaoke bar safety issues yesterday.  — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Issues relating to the management of delayed projects that use non-State budget capitals and violate the current Land Law in Hà Nội were among three main topics at the question-and-answer session of the ninth meeting of the People’s Council of Hà Nội yesterday.

The three-day meeting was opened on Monday and is due to end today (Wednesday).

Also discussed were the problems with traffic congestion in the city and the large number of karaoke lounges operating illegally despite being classed a serious fire risk  

The aims of the meeting were the implementation of the city’s major socio-economic tasks in the first six months of this year and addressing pressing issues of the city that voters care about most.

Chairwoman of the People’s Council Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngọc said the management of delayed projects was a major concern for city’s voters because it linked to land issues, which directly affected local people’s daily lives.

Delegate Trần Vân Hoa, said the city had 38 delayed projects but still failed to revoke 18 delayed projects while the People’s Committee of Hà Nội had already issued a decision to revoke a total of 38 delayed projects in May 2018.

“So, what are the causes?” Hoa added.

In response to the answer, director of the city’s Natural Resources and Environment Department Nguyễn Trọng Đông said the major cause was that projects’ investors were reluctant to co-operate with authorised agencies.

Đông said under the current Land Law, revised in 2013, investors would receive compensation for their property built on the land.

However, when the authorised agencies came to work out compensation packages, they refused to co-operate, he said.

Đông also pointed out that pre-2017, the People’s Committee of the city would have full responsibility over projects including revoking when necessary.

But now, since new regulations were passed, the onus lies with the People’s Committee of districts, which put district-level committees in an awkward position, he added.

According to Đông, the delayed projects were located in three districts of Ba Đình, Hoài Đức and Phú Xuyên.

Also discussed at the session were plans to boost traffic management to reduce congestion and pollution in the capital.

Ngọc said the project, which started two years ago, showed initial effectiveness but there were still shortcomings.

Delegate Trịnh Xuân Quang, of Thanh Xuân District, said the city had assigned its Planning and Investment Department to work with relevant agencies to research and consult regulations to encourage enterprises to invest in sectors of smart traffic, urban railway and buses under the model of Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) in December 2018.

“However, the department has not finished the task,” Quang said, while also asking about the cause, responsibility and solution.

Director of the department Nguyễn Mạnh Quyền said the department had already consulted with the city on how best to attract enterprises to invest.

But, under the city authority’s order focus would initially concentrate on three urban railway routes No 2, No 3 and No 5.

Quyền said two investors, VinGroup and T&T Group, showed interest and were compiling their pre-feasibility study to report to the Government.

Nevertheless, the Government recently ordered to temporarily halt all projects under the PPP model to wait for a new law on PPP investment that was expected to be adopted by the National Assembly in October.

The third topic discussed was fire prevention in the city.

Delegate Phạm Thu Hương said some serious fires occurred in the city at karaoke bars, of which 300 were being run illegally in the capital. Hương asked for causes and solutions to the problem.

Director of the Hà Nội’ Police Department Đoàn Duy Khương said the police had suspended 1,150 venues from operating for violating fire prevention regulations, but many ignored warning and remained open.

Poor management of local administration was blamed for the situation.

Khương said violations must be dealt with strictly, and raising public awareness was the best solution.

Meanwhile, on the first working day, participants of the three-day meeting had adopted to spend an additional of VNĐ124 billion (US$5.3 million) each year for poverty elimination and raised tuition fees for kindergartens and high schools in the city. Accordingly, the tuition fees will be raised depending on the region.

As planned, the three-day meeting will approve 15 resolutions that serve the city’s socio-economic development.— VNS