Hi-Tech Park in HCM City’s District 9. VNS File Photo/Tứ Minh.

HCM CITY  The People’s Council of HCM City has approved additional funds of VNĐ1,471 billion (US$63.3 million) for site-clearance compensation and resettlement of households for the Hi-Tech Park project in District 9.

About 600 affected households and three organisations residing or located in seven residential areas along Hà Nội Highway will receive compensation, according to a resolution passed by the Council on July 13.

A spokesman from the city People’s Committee said the additional funds followed instructions made by Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hoà Bình about settlement of petitions related to the Hi-Tech Park project.

Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Xuân, a resident affected by the project, said authorities should publicise details about the project's roadmap.

Xuân also asked the People’s Committee to have conversations with residents and households affected by the project.

Meetings with residents would help authorities better understand people’s needs so that agencies can create policies to help them, Xuân said.

“We do not want to create difficulties for agencies, but would like to be treated equally before the law,” a resident from District 9’s Hiệp Phú Ward told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) newspaper.

The Council’s resolution points out that the People’s Committee must guide its agencies to pay additional resettlement compensation as required under law, and to report the progress of the payments to the People’s Council by the end of the year.—VNS.