71591 REPORT RESPONSES TO CONSULTATION COMMENTS TRUNG SON HYDROPOWER PROJECT This report provides responses by Trung Son Hydropower Project Management Board (TSHPMB) to comments obtained from consultations at village, commune, district and provincial levels and with NGOs for a period from January to March 2010. This is a series of consultations with affected communities, local authorities and social organizations about safeguard of the Trung Son hydropower project. Thus, consultations and responses to consultation comments will focus on safety issues of the project. Other issues will not be responded to in this report. Formal documents that were disclosed for the purpose of these consultations are (i) Resettlement, Livelihood and Ethnic Minority Development Program (RLDP); and (ii) Environment Impact Assessment and Environment Management Plan (EIA/EMP). These documents aimed at addressing issues relating to safeguard of the project and are not project overall reports so they might not provide sufficiently information of the project. Detailed information or other relevant information shall be provided at request if the provision does not violate regulations of the Government of Vietnam and/or the World Bank on information disclosure. The project has received several comments from affected communities, local authorities as well as from social organizations during the consultations. Due to coincidence or similarity in comments as well as to make responses succinct and easy to track, those are coincident or similar shall be put together. The report is presented in a tabular form with 3 columns. First column is titled as Ordinal Number; second column is titled as Comments received; and third column is titled as Responses by TSHPMB. No Questions Answers A SOCIAL MATTER I Compensation a Compensation for real assets on land How to compensate real assets on land The affected households are compensated for the loss of unharvested crops at 1 (agricultural land) of affected households? market prices, perennial crops are compensated according to replacement cost. Compensation for exploited bamboo is calculated by the actual number of trees. Compensation for growing bamboo is calculated according to growing years at the time of the compensation plan. Compensation for affected bamboo is How to compensate bamboo? By years or calculated according to the provincial rate. For Thanh Hoa province, the groves compensation is calculated according to 2 unit prices corresponding to 2 types of 2 bamboo: full – grown bamboo and bamboo shoots. For Hoa Binh province, compensation is calculated according to 3 unit prices corresponding to 3 kinds of trunk diameter: more than 10 cm, from 5 cm to less than or equal to10 cm and less than or equal to 5 cm. Recommend compensation including the The project is considering to propose suitable supporting solution for the 3 value of bamboo root. households whose bamboo is affected. . How to compensate crops on the land of The people whose crops or assets on land of other people are affected will be 4 other peoples, other villages? compensated for the crops or assets. The principle of compensation is prioritized “land to landâ€?. However, if the land My kaingin is flooded totally but I don‟t in the locality does not allow compensation for the principle of “land to landâ€? for know what to get: money or land? Is it entitle lost land with the equivalent arability, then the compensation will be 5 possible if I take a land in Pu Hu carried out by means of paying cash according to replacement cost. conservation area? Land in Pu Hu Reserve is regulated by the State only for the reserve; therefore, such land cannot be used to compensate for affected people. In Muong 2 village, there is a sand-bank in The project will not compensate but will consider support community livelihood the wharf to Pa Pua village. Is the village 6 activities. compensated for it? No Questions Answers How does the project compensate private If the road is affected by Trung Son Hydropower Project, it will be compensated. 7 roads leading to manufacturing parks The compensation modality is in cash or reconstruction of the road depending on the owner‟s preference and community‟s needs. Households which invested to build roads for sand mining from the year 2000 have been Roads invested by households for sand mining, which are affected by Trung Son 8 granted fully licenced and paid taxes. Are Hydropower Project, shall be compensated. they compensated? In case households living in affected areas before December 12, 2008 but their names are not in the survey list but they are endorsed by the concerned villages or Some affected households are not on the list. districts People‟s Committee that they have been living and using the land or 9 How are they compensated? other real assets before the closing time, then they will be compensated and supported. According to the design of the project, the exploitation in the quarry is safe for The quarry is now 500 meters from the people. However, in the process of mining, if the exploitation is identified to have village. The exploitation can affect people affected the households living in the village, the project will have specific and 10 living in the village. Does the Project have timely measures to minimize it. People will be compensated for the impacts (if any measures to avoid the impacts? any). In addition to received compensation, if there are arising problems during the contraction, During the construction period, if there is any activity affecting people, the we propose that contractors must have compensation or restoration for affected households will be carried out. However, 11 solution to safety and compensation for depending on specific case and impact level, the compensation or restoration will affected households. be undertaken by PMU or contractor. After the hydropower plant goes into When the hydropower plant goes into operation, if the impact caused damage to 12 operation, if it affects people, will be any people, they will be compensated. compensation? All households affected by the construction of electric lines will be compensated according to the compensation, support and resettlement plan established for The project needs to ensure the compensation power line. Currently, the project is drawing up policy framework for for households if they are affected by the 13 compensation, support and resettlement for households affected by electric lines process of constructing electric lines. for construction and electric power transmission lines to form the basis for developing the Compensation and Resettlement Plan. This Plan will be disclosed and consulted with people and authorities at different levels. No Questions Answers In order to assure for the construction and operation of electric lines, the project The process of freeing ROW (right of way) will permanently retrieve land for constructing electric pole foundations and need to be carefully studied and has transformer stations, temporarily retrieve land for ROW. After completing appropriate measures for the temporarily and 14 construction, temporary land will be returned to the people and the crops must be permanently land retrieval. How to deal with in accordance with Decree 106/2005/ND-CP dated August 17, 2005 on Safety large trees during the process? protection of high voltage grid during the operation of the line Land for the power grid safety corridor is only temporarily compensated in The project should permanently acquire land accordance with Decree 106/2005/ND-CP dated August 17, 2005 on Safety 15 for the power grid safety corridor and should protection of high voltage grid. The Compensation and Resettlement Plan for provide seeds for DPs. power line has clearly regulated specific supports to ensure livelihood activities for DPs. b Land compensation In principle, land is compensated based on land use status. The District Compensation Committee will clarify during the inventory process with the participation of affected households and village and commune authorities. Therefore, the households that have the same red book will be compensated based How to deal with households which are in on their land use status if there is no dispute. Assets on shared land will be 16 the same land use rights certificate? compensated for the legal owner of the assets. Households need to determine the legal rights of their land (area which households are using) with the united consensus between the households together which are certified by local authorities. For those who initially do not have formal legal rights to land or houses but have a claim to legal rights based upon the laws of the country and are certified by the Land and houses which have been measured Commune People‟s Committee, they will be compensated. but don‟t have land use rights certificates. For those who initially do not have formal legal rights to land or houses and do 17 Are they compensated or not? not have a claim to legal rights based upon the laws of the country but are certified by the Commune People‟s Committee, they will be compensated for their houses and assets (not their land) but will be provided with support for land as regulated by the PPC. How is land retrieved for resettlement Land retrieved for construction of resettlement areas is also compensated 18 compensated? similarly to land retrieved for construction of the project. No Questions Answers The priority is “land-for-landâ€? compensation. Replacement land is equivalent in productive capacity. However, If land availability in the locality does not allow compensation by land for the full lost area of equal productive capacity, DP will How is two havest seasons farmland affected be compensated for their affected land in cash at replacement cost. 19 by flood compensated? Land for growing 2 crops will be compensated by replacement land or in cash at replacement cost. If in cash, the unit price for land growing 2 crops of the PPC will be applied. The compensation value will be calculated by the Compensation Committee at the time of compensation. Near the bank of Ma river, there some The project will compensate owners of the real assets on land and give land households of Thai ethnic group who planted compensation to people who have legal rights to receive compensation for the 20 bamboo in the land of Ta Com ethnic group. land. How to deal with this matter? The priority is “land-for-landâ€? compensation. Therefore, the Project will prioritize I have a land parcel in the process of site compensation in land. However, If land availability in the locality does not allow clearance. I hope to be provided with another 21 compensation by land for the full lost area or the replacement land is not land plot. Is this possible or not? acceptable to DP, DP will be compensated for their affected land in cash at replacement cost. Two people live in different places, one lives If the two people agree and the local authorities certify such exchange, the in the mountains and one lives by river and compensation will be paid based on their agreement. If the 2 people cannot reach they both have land use rights certificate. 22 agreement, the Compensation Committee and the local authorities will discuss They have exchanged their land for with these households to work out the solution. Then the compensation will be cultivating. How to solve this case? carried out based on such agreement. If land of the households is in the scope of land acquisition to exploit quarries for My land is near a quarry. Is it compensated the purpose of project‟s construction, the households will be compensated 23 or not? according to regulations. I am cultivating on land in the Reserve. Can I The cultivation will be continued or not depends on regulations of the Reserve. 24 continue cultivating on that area? This issue is beyond the responsibility of the Project. Currently, the measurements for setting up documents of land information has Land has been used for building house been finished by the project, the measurements process has been informed to the foundations and it is not in the copy. How to affected communities, the results of measurement have been informed in all 25 solve this case? villages and affected households have participated and signed confirmation. The mentioned case will be noted and checked, identified during the implementation of tallying compensation documents. No Questions Answers Project compensation under the principle of "land for land" or cash at replacement cost, depending on the preferences of households. The Project do not compensate Is it possible for us if we want to be in kind such as boat, fish cages or cattle, etc. The District Compensation compensated for lost land by getting boats, 26 Committee will consult affected communities to decide how many times the fish cages, cattles and all at once payment? payment will take and this fact will be reflected in the detail compensation plans approved by District People„s Committee. We propose to permanently retrieve the land Material gathered sites for the construction of power lines will not be permanently for dumping site during the construction of retrieved. During the construction, contractors will reasonably pour waste and the power lines. After finish the construction, 27 give the site back to people. the contractors have to give the site by back as the initial state If our houses are flooded and we move our The Project will compensate for affected households identified before the cut-off houses without waiting for the Project date (10/12/2008). The households displace after this date will be compensated. 28 Management Unit. Are we compensated? The compensation value will be identified after inventory, setting up compensation plan and approved by the DPC. In 2008, I built a house foundation. After In the course of the work of site clearance compensation, the project will that, I built the house in 2009. Am I 29 coordinate with clearance Council to consider, clarify and make decisions for compensated for it? each specific case. Compensation land price will be based on unit price of the PPC. This unit price is set based on land location, land classification and use purpose and reference to the I have a plot of land in the release area, I land prices in the locality. In the RLDP report, the compensation unit price for want to know how much each square metter? 30 land in 2008 by the PPC is included for households to refer to. However, this is the price in 2008, when we compensate, the latest unit prices at the time of PPC‟s implementation of compensation will be applied; If the graves are within the site clearance, the project will compensate for the There are now some graves which were not move. Households are responsible for fully declaring to the Compensation declared, we propose Project Management Council during the inventory process. In case of any reason that households can 31 Unit and the government help to solve the not declare, they should proceed with the certification of the village or commune situation. councils to consider issuing documents for additional compensation. DP can displace the graves before or after receiving compensation. If the graves I have a grave subjected to clearance, can I are displaced before the compensation plan is approved, they should be certified move it beforehand or I have to wait for 32 by the CPC and Compensation Committee. However, for the purpose of compensation before moving it? inventory, setting up compensation plan, approving detailed compensation estimates, the households should displace graves after receiving compensation. No Questions Answers The project will have impact on land and According to the social evaluation, the level of impact on rice fields, bamboo, property such as rice paddies, bamboo forests house riverside of the dam‟s downstream has not yet determined. If land and real 33 by river banks, housing, ... particularly high assets on land are affected by Trung Son hydropower projects, they will be risk of impact on Sai village. compensated in accordance with the project‟s regulation. All compensation and assistance of the Indemnification and support will be directly paid to each household by the Project project are ensured to be given straightly to Management Unit and Compensation Council. It will not pass any intermediary 34 each household. and will not be deducted any sums. Households want to be compensated in cash The Project will consider the compensation schedule for the DPs to ensure that 35 only once. they use the compensation for the right purpose and meet the site clearance progress requirement. The Project will apply the measures to minimize deposit of soil residue in How to deal with silt in lower section made downstream area during construction period. If there is any impact on by waste of soil and rocks from construction 36 downstream area caused by the Project, there will be appropriate measures. in upper section of the river? The project impacts will be compensated. C Support Which support policies does Project In addition to the support and assistances like other households who move into the Management Unit has toward self-relocating resettlement site, these households are provided with support to follow 37 households? administrative procedures at the new place of 1,000,000 VND for those relocate within the province and 2,000,000 VND for those move out of the province. The project does not support households by moving trips but assist in cash. Each How many trips will the State support us to household will receive a relocation assistance to move to new move to new resettlement areas? 3 millions accommodation. Support level is VND 3,000,000 for households move in the 38 VND is not enough. province 5,000,000 for households move outside the province. This funding is used to transport supplies in the family. These households have moved according to the disaster prevention project of the 15 households who have been relocated Government and implemented since the year of 2005 – 2006. On the other hand, under the government's policy because of these households located on the border of the lake of Trung Son Hydropower 39 falling rocks. Are they compensated or Project, as a result, they will not be compensated, supported from Trung Son supported? hydroelectric project. No Questions Answers According to the Project Policy Framework approved by the Prime Minister, support for resettlement of moving households is defined as follows: + All households will receive resettlement assistance in cash equivalent to 20kg normal rice / person / month in 24 months time. + Households who do not have to move but lose their land will be supported food Clarification for support sections (24 months assistance in cash for each legal person in the household during the 18 months, and 18 months); regulations according to soil depending on the area of land loss. Support levels are specified as follows: 40 loss ratio - Retrieval of land less than 10% of land area, supported 5 kg of rice / person / month. - Retrieval from 10% to 30% of land area, supported 10 kg of rice / person / month. - Retrieval from 30% to 50% of land area, supported 15 kg of rice / person / month. Retrieval from 50% and over, supported 20 kg of rice / person / month. - Policy Framework of the project has provisions for public works in the We propose the Project to build a football resettlement areas as follows: For the independent resettlement, not the town ground for the youth in villages for culture center, from 30 households or more, if there is land site will be considered to 41 exchange. allocate sports grounds and only leveling land for sports parks Categoriy is invested. Roads for construction and operation of Trung Son hydroelectric will be completed before starting the construction works of the main building. Therefore, Support for affected people during the effects of the waterway during the dam construction can be reduced by using construction process and matter of waterway 42 this route. With regard to fisheries resources, the impact is only short term and transport, fisheries resources. temporary. In case there are impacts on fisheries resources, the effect will be compensated if it is determined to be caused by the impact of dam construction. The project should refer to the regime and the compensation policy of Son La The Policy Framework of Trung Son Hydropower Project has referred to and 43 hydropower, especially the support price to applied the advantages of the Policy Framework of Son La Hydropower Project move houses. and other hydropower projects as well as the suggestions of the local authorities. Resettlement When building schools, clinics, resettlement consultants need to care about the design and Design and facilities of the public infrastructure will be considered and consulted 44 specialized equipments. with the local officials and people. No Questions Answers The project will coordinate with the management of village, commune authorities Does the project have graveyard planning for to search for burial place to ensure environmental hygiene, habits and consistent 45 people? with local land use planning. The household with the wife from Tai Chanh Households who have permanent residence in place of Tai Chanh village before village, living in the other village, she the time of closing date (12/10/2008) are compensated, supported in accordance divorced her husband and returned to the old with the project regulation. The building under Resolution 167 (building support place to stay which is Tai Chanh village. She 46 for poor households) is still compensated according to regulations; the project was supported to build 167 houses. Is she encourage households to use support funds of the 167 program to build houses compensated and arranged to live and the houses should be made of the material that can move easily. Resettlement area or not?. The project must give priority to road The infrastructure such as electricity, roads, water, ... in the resettlement will be 47 construction leading to resettlement areas. completed before people move into resettlement areas. People can select resettlement site location. During the planning process, the Can people make self-selection of 48 Project has carried out consultation with people in the project area as well as resettlement site location? authorities at different levels to agree on the resettlement location. Does the project support the construction of The infrastructure such as electricity, roads, water and leveling houses will be roads to resettlement areas for ease of people conducted before people move their houses to new resettlement areas to ensure 49 to move their houses? convenience for residents in the process of relocation to new places. If there is any difference between the cost of In case value of the current house of the relocating household is higher than building house in the resettlement site and project house in resettlement areas, DP will be compensated in cash for the 50 the value of the current house, how will the difference. If the value of of the current house is of lower value than the new Project solve? house, DP will not have to pay the difference. Does households who are not in the flooded The Project does not have resettlement planning and arrangement for the 51 areas move to resettlement areas? households who are not affected by the Project. No Questions Answers I do not want to resettle with Tay Ta Lao village in Tham Ton 1 resettlement area. Does the project have any solutions to help The DPs have the right to move to the resettlement site or not. people go back and protect bamboo arable The Project will consider the actual situation and find out the appropriate solution 52 land left after water level rise, because this during the implementation process to help them continue cultivation on the area often locates far from the new remaining land area for growing “luongâ€? bamboo. resettlement? Worry about the layout and house selection in the resettlement areas. Project The arrangement of houses and residential groups in the resettlement site has been Management Unit is requested to arrange consulted with people. The Project encourages people to discuss and agree the 53 households in the resettlement as the current location of each household in the site. In case of disagreement, the Project will population clusters. conduct the draw lots to select locations. Natural disasters, for example floods and landslides are hardly predicted and Anxiety of natural disasters (storms, floods, depend on the weather of each year. The resettlement point has been consulted the landslides) will happen more frequent in the people‟s ideas, the implementation has been studied and surveyed to avoid the 54 new resettlement area? risks of natural disasters, hurricanes, floods ... But in case of natural disasters occur in resettlement process, the Project will have timely and appropriate support. There should be funding for households after In order to support people in improving production to raise income, the Project resettlement to generate income for the will have community livelihood development program including technical 55 households; assistance, training, animal husbandry, cultivation and credit fund so that the households can access loans from such fund. The process of planning for the resettlement project has been interested by the The government pays special attention to the Project and carried consultations with affected communities many times. As a resettlement location, and the location is now 56 result, resettlement locations are now considered best suited to meet people‟s reasonable and good; requirements. An objective of the project is to ensure the resettlement households have their life Life of households in the resettlement areas equal to or better than before. The specific program will be developed during the 57 must be at least equal to or better than before. implementation of resettlement, livelihood development and ethnic minority development plan to meet this goal. During house construction, leveling house During the process of building resettlement site, people will be encouraged to foundation, people should be allowed to 58 participate in monitoring and contribute their opinions to ensure that the come in order to fit the customs of the people categories of the resettlement site meet the expectations and customs of people. No Questions Answers Building houses should be done by local To suit the customs, habits and aspirations of the resettlement households, 59 people. households can choose to build new houses or move their houses to the planned resettlement site or receive houses built by the Project. There are 28 households in Tay Ta Lao The PMU will coordinate with local authorities to check the compliance of the Village want to move to their community. affected households, if there is any risk of isolation, landslides, the competent 60 The project is proposed to have ideas about authorities will decide and include they in the basic design of the resettlement. this. House models in the resettlement will be designed based on the consultation with The PMU should provide house models and the affected communities and will be disclosed in the locality. Detailed unit cost 61 unit price for building house in the of a house built in the resettlement area will also be calculated and notified to the resettlement site. community after the design of the resettlement is approved. The PMU needs to clearly hand over the The PMU will hand over the full landmarks in the field to the district 62 number of site clearance‟s landmarks. compensation councils to have basis for site clearance. The relocated households willstill cultivate on their existing agricultural land area if it is not affected. When the remaining agricultural land area is smaller than 1.5 The Project needs to regulate land source to ha per household, the Project will consider to provide additional land to ensure 63 ensure the resettlement households that the agricultural land area is not smaller than 1.5 ha per household. Each relocated household moving to the resettlement sites will be assigned with a house site plot not smaller than 400 m² and garden not smaller than 300m2. Garden can be adjacent to the residential land or not. According to the planning, the distance from the resettlement site to the old place The resettlement is far from the previous 64 is from 1 to 3 km, which will not affect the production of households production area. significantly. The project should consider and assign the district to implement infrastructure in According to the decision approving the investment project, these categories are 65 resettlement sites. assigned to Trung Son Hydropower Project Management Unit to implement. No Questions Answers In order to be appropriate to the customs, habits and aspirations of the resettlement households, households can choose to build houses by themselves at the planned resettlement site or receive houses from construction projects (house on stilts or four-level-house after consultation with people). If they receive house Revising to ethnic custom of house building, from construction projects, house area will be following levels: the total area for house building is low (at - Single households or households with two people: 25m2/house 66 least 70 square meter or more) - Households from three to five people: 45m2/house - Households with six or more people: 65m2/house - Each resettled household will be built kitchen and toilet with the average area of 10m2/house. If the households want to have larger area, they can propose the Project to build and pay the additional amount of money. Expect the Project support to build hygienic This is an expectation and a criterion for the resettlement house of the Project; the 67 latrine. design of the house has to include hygienic latrine. Process of relocation for resettlement households should have immigration plan Site clearance, resettlement will be divided into several periods to meet the under the sub-projects and must be construction schedule and progress of the project. The specific progress of each 68 specifically detailed for the people and batch will be informed to local authorities and people for coordination. government at all levels According to survey data created for Resettlement, livelihood and ethnic minority Households wishing to move are only the development programs, there are no ethnic Khmu households affected by the Muong, Thai, Mong ethnic people. How project and have to relocate. But during process of compensation, resettlement 69 about Khmu ethnic households in Ten Tan and assistance if there are Khmu ethnic affected households, they are still have commune? the benefits and policies of the project as other communities. The specific issue of resettlement has been detailed in the policy framework and How are the principles in the implementation resettlement program, livelihood and development of ethnic minorities of the of resettlement for affected project. For land compensation, the compensation principle is "land to households? Determining what kind of land land." However, if the land in the locality does not allow compensation for the 70 for adequate compensation. principle of “land to landâ€? for entitle lost land with the equivalent arability, then the compensation will be carried out by means of land with total area not less than the minimum limits of land to maintain sustainable livelihoods, the difference will be compensated in cash according to replacement rates We propose that project build a high school The project is responsible for land compensation and affected property. The 71 for 3 local communes. project will transfer this proposal to the local education sector to consider. No Questions Answers When planning the resettlement, the project has conducted flow surveys and Make sure to have sufficient fresh water examined water quality. The survey result shows that the water quality of water 72 source for people in resettlement areas. sources is good enough to supply domestic water. The domestic water supply system ensures providing sufficient water quantity and quality for people before moving into resettlement site. The Project Policy Framework stipulates that the separating households after cut- There are 7 people in my family, is it off date are households: i) Separation from families with at least two couples and possible to divide it into 2 households before 73 six people or more. ii) The district government agreed to separate households with moving to the resettlement areas? the confirmation of the CPC Do children born in the coming time receive Children born in the coming time is an affected citizen eligible to receive the support from the project? Are new separate benefits of households calculated according to demographics; new separate 74 households supported anything? households will be valid as a benefit relocated households. For households in the resettlement, the project will be responsible for leveling to ensure the planned construction. Some relocated households request State to For resettlement households, the project will pay for households to self-level and 75 support for leveling foundations. build new houses. If the household is self-leveling, they need to comply with the technical requirements to ensure safety, the project's approval. Community Livelihood Improvement III Plan Households free from direct impacts of the project but belong to affected villages How does the project support people who are will get benefits from programs of likelihood improvement for the whole village. 76 free from project‟s impacts? These activities can include technical assistance, agriculture extension and forest extension…. As far as we know, the project will have Women will receive an assistance to develop gender programs in order to raise supporting activities for females, so what awareness of health and security. The women will discuss and agree how to use 77 should females do? this assistance to meet their needs; they also directly carry out such activities. The Project will establish livelihood support group including technical experts, Who will support us in production activities? PMU and local authorities to assist people in planning and implementing 78 livelihood activities. This group will assist the community in preparing annual plan for specific activities. Is it possible to develop an irrigation system The project takes priority in supporting on-site food security. In the basic design to provide water for their crops as expected for resettlement site, the project has irrigation system planning to supply water for 79 by villagers? rice-growing areas. As for the villages which want an irrigation system, they can use a part of the budget of the livelihood development plan of the project to build the irrigation No Questions Answers system if the village agrees and it is appropriate to the local conditions. It is essential to have recommendations on In developing likelihood improvement plans for affected households, experts will trees suitable to land and climate of the 80 discuss with communities to ensure that all trees are suitable to land and climate region; conditions in the region. Due to the insufficient amount of land, the compensation by money will be possible to The livelihood improvement plan has included the activities to diversify the 81 lead to the unsustainable lives of local income sources of people. At the same time, people are instructed to use their people? compensation properly to sustain their livelihoods. Training, water resources development, tourism and mechanics, etc need more During the process of implementing livelihood development plan, there will be experience to avoid the unsuitability to the 82 study tours to the demonstrations was and is being carried out to learn from their reality, particulary water resources experience. development can cause water pollution. The project need to pay more attention on These issues have been studied and put into likelihood improvement plans. CLIP. It is essential to find the market for 83 Annual plans will be discussed with households and local authorities to make it households‟ products. Supports on trees and suitable to the practical conditions of the locality. animals must be suitable. Policies of Son La hydro power plant and other relevant plants have been studied It is essential to study supporting policies of in the process of developing policies for Trung Son hydro power plant. However, 84 Son La to have experience on tree selection. adjustment will be continued to be done to make it suitable to local conditions. On implementing plans on developing The livelihood development plan of the project has included the activities to handicrafts, it is necessary to find market for develop handicraft and access to market. The Project will carry out pilot activities 85 these products because many current to learn from experience and then expand to ensure that the products are products do not have market. appropriate to the market. Training should be done in the line of career It is clearly stated in the project‟s likelihood improvement plan that depending on orientation along with providing loans to their impact, households will join training courses and credit approach to improve 86 create jobs for labors whose will lose lands their likelihood. (both agriculture and silviculture). No Questions Answers Take priority for developing aquaculture activities, feeding cattle …suitable to the Career developing activities will be participated by communities with the support 87 cultivation habit of each group among of experts to make it suitable to the cultivation habit of affected minority groups. various minority groups (affected area) It is recommended to have training plans for local people as soon as possible, before Along with compensation, the project has some likelihood improvement activities 88 resettlement when training is a time- that will be implemented soon including training activities. consuming process Support for various impacts will be done in the line of regulations in RLDP which Support and create favorable conditions for has also develops programs for females. local people, particularly, females in 89 Community livelihood development program has specific activities to maintain livelihood development livelihoods for affected people. Of which, the activities towards women are given priority to carry out. Influences on fishing harvest and natural fishing in the project region has been studied and mentioned in report on fish and fishing, report on environment What can be done with impacts on fishing management in which the method of adding fish in the lower region to remain and 90 caused by water raising? develop fish of economic value has been presented. In addition, the project has some supporting activities in the implementation of likelihood improvement including training support and water resources development. Local people have chances to find jobs in construction sites of the project if they People expect to have opportunity to find are possible to meet demands of contractors during the job interview. Some of 91 jobs when the Project is implemented. professional training has been mentioned clearly in the CLIP. Plan to improve livelihoods of the project has launched a strategy: diversify non- The Project needs to develop career support agricultural industries through vocational training for some youth, and support for and add new fields to compensate for the loss small businesses that will create the basis employment for the affected of bamboo forest and rice fields of the communities. 92 affected households. Environment should be The Consultant who carries out livelihood program of the project will have concerned when establish bamboo processing supports and advices for the bamboo processing businesses to avoid negative factories. impacts on the environment. IV Ethnic minorities development plan We recommend to support cost for cutting The project will coordinate with local authorities to have appropriate trees ceremonies on the tomb of ethnic policies. Cutting trees in areas have the tomb of Tan Lac district will comply with 93 minorities because of construction of the guidelines of Hoa Binh. transmission lines No Questions Answers We recommend to have additional support for ethnic minorities during the construction The Project will consider the support provided for affected ethnic minority people 94 of power lines. when developing compensation and resettlement plan for power line. Project needs to focus on issues of worship The problem of spiritual rituals to move houses and graves has been of the 95 ceremony to move houses and graves. project‟s interest and proposed in project‟s development plan of ethnic minorities. V Management and communication When propagandizing policies and benefits Project information and policies on benefits will be disseminated by the Project on households affected by electricity line, 96 management Unit to residents by the form of leaflets. The project will support the there should be leaflets in locals and financial information dissemination and propaganda. support for the propaganda. In order that affected residents understand During the implementation process, dissemination and propaganda on the project the project information, there should be 97 information, policy and co-operation, checking and monitoring to affected meetings with residents to disseminate communities will be boosted. information and propagandize. The project will carry out information disclosure activity in many forms as follows: (i) Audio information will be broadcasted in language that is comprehensive to ethnic minorities; (ii) Meeting held at village will use both Vietnamese and main language used in the village; (iii) Information on local loudspeaker systems and radio will use different languages used in the How is the information dissemination and 98 communes. propaganda to residents developed? Communication channels include (a) traditional ones (loudspeaker system and public meetings) and (b) improved communication channels with leaflets and posters suitable to households, DVD in many languages and announcements of villages made in local languages produced by people trained by commune co- operators. Some leaflets have been delivered directly to each household and other materials Why are not leaflets delivered to households, 99 have also been sent to the community by village leaders. The Project will care and especially affected ones? make efforts so that the information can be disseminated to people. The information dissemination and propaganda will be developed through the The propaganda should be boosted through Resettlement, livelihood and ethnic minorities development Program. The 100 meetings held at villages. implementation of the Program will co-operate with local authorities at all levels to boost the propaganda, especially at meeting held at villages. No Questions Answers It is recommended that the Project management Unit should co-operate with local authorities to raise awareness in These issues will be solved by (i) information components and propaganda to sanitation, health and diseases control. There raise workers‟ and communities‟ awareness in the project area,(ii) The 101 should be contracts with local medical community health action plan was developed by project (iii) the health for stations in co-operating to give emergency workers Plan will be done by contractors. aid and treatment for workers in case of accidents. VI Organization for implementation The site-clearance landmark in and out of the The Project management board will co-operate with the local authorities in the 102 electricity line design profile to avoid survey, design and implementation process of the site-clearance to the electricity difficulties for the site-clearance. line component. The co-operation of policy framework of World bank and Vietnam to make a harmony, especially the price framework will WB‟s and Vietnam‟s policies ensure the same target is to assure that residents‟ 103 make easy for local authorities and avoid the lives are at least equal or better than those before the project. The Project difference in price between projects and management Unit will co-operate closely with local authorities to solve this issue. conflict among residents and local authorities. The detailed measurement will be done by Compensation Council or consultancy Unit with the involvement of the heads of affected households, villages and My land can be flooded, so who will check commune leaders. Before compensating, the Compensation Council will deliver 104 and measure the affected land? forms for households to fill on their own and they will check in details of affected assets types and the owners. Before checking, the Compensation Council will inform the time to ensure the presence of households; My house is between the National road and If houses and assets in the acquired area of Trung Son Hydro-power Project, they 105 the Hydro-power Project, will I be will be in eligibility condition to receive project‟s compensations. compensated? The initial inventory of loss with the purpose of defining the general impact of the whole project, so it does not affect compensation and support. Data in the initial inventory is not accurate, at Before compensating, the Compensation Council will deliver forms to households 106 that day I was absent and written in the to fill on their own their detailed name of households‟ heads and affected assets wrong name, does it matter? types. Before inventory, the Compensation Council will inform the inventory time to ensure the presence of household to do the inventory. The results will be posted publicly at village leaders. No Questions Answers The load of work relating to departments of The Compensation and Resettlement Council of districts and communes include communes and districts involving this project some departments. The Council‟s expense will be a part of budget of 107 is high, so there is financial aid to these compensation and resettlement regulated in the Decree No. 197/2004/ND-CP staffs; dated 03/2/2004 made by Government. Basing on which legal framework to build 108 The policy framework is built on basis of laws of Vietnam and WB‟s policies. regulations on the project policy framework; Basing on the compensation for resettlement, Before the Government approved the policy framework, opinions from local there should be specific policies for the authorities on compensation, support and resettlement policies have been 109 specific involvement of local authorities at collected. The responsibilities of parties are shown clearly in the project policy all levels. framework. Electricity will be provided for households eligible for focus resettlement of the have we access to electricity when the project project. At present, the Project does not have a plan to supply electricity to the 110 is completed relocating households who are not in the resettlement site and other affected households. Recommend the specifying practices. There The poor recovery of loans will be led by the Social Policy Bank who is are about 80 households in balance in the responsible. The process of paying compensation, the project will not deduct any affected area, if moving and resettlement are expenses of any household. The PMB also propose solutions for banks, it should 111 likely to be difficult to recover capital. create conditions for people to maturity or they are allowed to extend loans in the Therefore, we proposed PMB support to continent that they are moving to implement resettlement recover capital and the Bank must be specifically stated The transmission line policy framework will be developed, disseminated, Proposed building a detailed plan, in consulted and submitted to PPC to approve after that it will be submitted to Prime 112 particular affectation due to the construction Minister to approve. Basing on a lonely RP for the transmission line will be built. of power lines And it will be disseminated and consulted the local people. All kinds of reports should be transferred into The project will edit documents included: summary of the project, benefits people documentation to distribute to people, in receive, popular questions, complaining process, complaints for affected 113 which there are specific examples. community. Final reports will be updated with policies about environment and resettlement as Require to update new documents to final well as other writings to comply with the policy of Vietnamese government and 114 reports of the project accord with the sponsors. During the implementing process, the project will update new policies according to the regulations. No Questions Answers The way of organizing to implement is very important, therefore during the process of the The project always highly appreciates the participation of the community during project the implementing process of the project. In the organizing part for reports, the 115 there‟s a need to have a close contact with project has pointed out the participation to co-ordinate of authority at all levels. communes and mountainous villages to obtain the proposed goal. Compensation policy should be reasonable Compensation policy of the project is built on the basis of WB policy and other and must acknowledge the feedback from policies in force in Vietnam. During the process of developing the resettlement, people to ensure the poverty alleviating goal 116 livelihood and ethnic minority development plan, the consultation with people and for the community. local authorities at different levels has been carried out. Other consultation will be organized during the implementation process to ensure the participation of people. Require to make clear the policy frame of the project to see whether it is applied for both provinces. Some compensation policies of 117 The policy frame of the project is applied for the whole project area. DA is rather suitable for Son La Hydropower. Resettlement objective is to ensure the new residence is better or the same as the old one. Ensuring traffic safety during the construction period will be carried out through the requirements of the project for the contractors to take traffic safety measures Ensure security and traffic safety during the such as: putting signs, regulating kinds of vehicles for transporting materials, 118 construction. regulating speed for vehicles and co-operating with police and local authorities in disseminating traffic safety. About water quality, the Department of The project management board highly welcomes the inspection and supervision of Health will participate in controlling the Department of Health. During the process of the project, the project 119 discharge activities. management unit will pay a lot of attention to this issue. The Project will carry out monitoring activities including: monitoring team of the Does the project carry out supervision tasks PMU, supervisors of the contractors, external monitoring and community 120 efficiently? monitoring which is carried out by the local people. This will help the Project implement the monitoring task well. Trung Son commune does not receive any Speed up the project implementation progress is the expectation of the investor social welfare programs from the government and stakeholders. According to approved progress, the project will start the work 121 because it belongs to the project area. in the fourth quarter of 2011. The access road will be constructed in the Fourth Therefore, they hope to accelerate the Quarter of 2010. progress to reduce misery for people. No Questions Answers According to the schedule, Mai Chau 110/35KV station will be built in 2012 when additional charge demand at the construction site increases. When will 110/35KV station be built? What The project management unit will co-ordinate with local authority to publish 122 direction will the power line be? information soon and officially after identifying exactly the direction of power lines. When will households affected by flooded Now land survey is completed. It is estimated that the inventory and profile reservoir get compensation? In which year making for compensation will be done in 2011 and money will be paid in 2012. 123 will land and farm products be inventoried The payment for the households which are forced to move will be done before exactly? their movement at least 6 months. The emigration to resettlement areas will be proceeded soon by the project to When will the emigration to resettlement stabilize people‟s life, as estimated during 2012 and 2013 depending on the 124 areas be proceeded? construction progress of project items. Detailed plan will be informed to people. The project should predict possible arising In the budget of the project, there‟s a sum of backup expenditure for unpredictable during the effector process and compensation problems. Site clearance will be proceeded in 2011 and compensation will be paid 125 for site clearance should be proceeded soon. in 2012. Does Trung Son hydropower project commits to contribute social welfare to reconstruct the region? Suggest the investors The welfare contributions of the project will be carried out according to the 126 that they should contribute to Water regulations of the country. Resource Tax and take part in payment service. The population in the project area is of poor Disadvantaged areas of the district will enjoy investment policies and general areas of the district, do they receive any prior support policies of the State. For Trung Son Hydropower Project, the affected 127 policies, for example, they are supplied households who have to move will be planned to the resettlement areas and be electricity and water ... ? invested to construct infrastructure such as roads, lighting systems, clean water ... The reports after consultation will be corrected and submitted to the authorities for Types of project reports after consultation, approval and the information will be proclaimed to governments at all level. The 128 edition and approval need to send back to the project hopes to get the cooperation of governments at all levels in the authority to coordinate for implementation. implementing process. No Questions Answers The research project is proposed to The implementing process of improving means of living will coordinate with coordinate with Mong development project other ongoing projects in the province to offer appropriate means of living for 129 which is being implemented in Muong Lat local people and, to avoid duplication and ensure the combinational mechanism to district to have appropriate policies. make the best use of all resources in the region. The rate of poor households in communal areas of the project accounts for 35-40%, The planning process has improved means of living of poor households in the therefore it is necessary to take care of and project area; proposed plans aim to bring about stability and development for coordinate with local authorities in people. Through the implementing process of resettlement plans, plans of 130 supporting means of living and arranging improving means of living and development plan for ethnic minorities, the project resettlement for affected households to wishes to get the cooperation of the authorities at all levels to ensure affected ensure that people have a good or better life people to have a better life than before. than that in the old place. VII Grievances Muong 1 village and Muong 2 village share a common stream. However, there‟s a project constructing irrigation ditches for Muong 1 The Project only has responsibility for the impacts caused by the Project. This 131 village. Therefore, Muong 2 village will not issue is beyond the responsibility of the PMU. have water. Can the project management deal with this problem? The specification of land owners is not The compensation principle of the project agrees with current land use. During the correct; the issue of land certificate is for clearance process, the project will co-ordinate with local authority to specify land wrong people. Therefore, people are afraid 132 owners and legality to compensate. that they will be the victims of the compensation policy. The project management unit has an office at the construction site, contact address: Mo hamlet – Chieng Chau commune – Mai Chau Town – Hoa Binh province. When commencing the project, there will be an office at the construction site of Trung Son commune, Quan Hoa district, Thanh Hoa province. The project management unit must have a The feedback and claim from people will be received through the following 133 representative office so that people can give channels: their feedback. i. People‟s committee of communes; ii. Compensational council of province; iii. The office of the project management unit at the construction site according to the above address. iv. Social Safeguard groups at the villages. No Questions Answers According to the law, People‟s committee of Claim settling procedure will be implemented under the current law of claim and the district settles the feedback within 45 134 accusation. days. Reservoir foundation is flooded but they still Trung Son hydropower project management unit has already coordinated with the build roads to Muong Ly commune, does it investor of this road line to check the place of construction and find out that this 135 cause effects? road line is not flooded by the reservoir foundation of Trung Son hydropower. Consultants of the project management unit is now carrying out a research, a Require to build the bridge to the production survey and a discussion with people in this area to find out the most suitable 136 area for Pu Lau village, Xuan Nha commune. solution. Do road line constructing activities have According to the design, the road construction only affects the main road but small effects on other road lines between hamlets? roads in hamlets; If the road construction causes any damages on these small 137 If they do, will the project make repairs and roads, the project has responsibility to repair these damages. maintenance? The project requires detailed data of the The project has investigated, studied and made a report about social economy of households directly affected by the project the project. The report highlights issues about communes, villages, ethnic such as communes, ethnic composition, age, background, ages, sex …. It is the basis to write the report about the resettlement 138 gender ... which serve for the planning of program, means of living and development ethnic minority for the project. community development as well as the During the implementation process, the data will be updated for monitoring and development of hydropower resettlement. evaluation. B. Environment TT Question Answer Proper methods have been developed by the project in order to What should be done in case of discovering minimize negative effects possibly raised during its implementation, 139 diseases caused by environmental impacts? including methods of preventing and minimizing environmental effects and community health care. Essential activities and methods to minimize the possible Has the site environment been well managed by the environment effects have been elaborated in the project‟s project to avoid possible effects on the downstream 140 environment management plan. More importantly, the project of the river? management unit (PMU) has required contractors to seriously follow this plan and strictly supervised to avoid unexpected effects on the TT Question Answer environment surrounding the site and on the lower section of the river Are there any changes in sand and rock exploited 141 After the exploitation, these areas will be used for plantation. areas when the exploitation has come to the end? The environmental impact assessment report of the project has been Provide the local authorities and districts with the disclosed and consulted in the locality. This report, after being 142 report on assessment of environmental impacts by updated and adjusted based on the feedbacks of the consultation, and the project. the final report will be disclosed in the project area. The unit which directly carries out the environmental mitigation measures during the construction process is the contractors. The PMU is the unit responsible for monitoring together with the Who is in charge of putting methods of minimizing external monitoring agency. 143 environmental impacts into practice? Who takes The mitigation measures for the project‟s impacts on biodiversity responsibility for the supervision? and the reserves, etc. will be taken by the PMU. The external monitoring agency will monitor these activities. The local authorities and people also participate in monitoring all of the environmental mitigation measures. In terms of environment- agree with environment Water and air pollution in lake area and mitigation measures have impact assessment; the planning of 3 kinds of forest been studied and assessed in report on environment impact will not remarkably affect Xuan Nha reserve; assessment approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and possible water and air pollution in the lake area as 144 Environment and project‟s SESIA. Contractor will be selected to all garbage will gathered in living areas of local develop the detailed plan for lake cleaning to minimize water and air people when the water is raised- minimizing pollution in this area. methods. The affected area totally belongs to the reserve The affected area in Moc Chau district only belongs to the buffer which has not been biologically assessed. Any 145 zone of the reserve of which the assessment on land diversity has exploitation activities conducted in this area must been conducted and mentioned in the project‟s EIA report. be appraised and managed by the Government. Will activities of land surface separation then Methods of separating surface land and putting them back to existing putting them back to existing conditions be possible 146 condition when the construction has been completed have been to be implemented? applied in other hydro-power plants with remarkable results. TT Question Answer Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has officially approved environment impact assessment. Mitigation measures mentioned in environmental impact assessment Impact minimizing methods should be in line of and EMP will be committed to be implemented by investor. In regulations stipulated by the Ministry of Natural which responsibilities of stakeholders have been clarified (Ministry 147 Resources and Environment. Summary reports of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Natural should be completed in the line of the Ministry‟s Resources and Environment, EVN, Project Management Unit, regulations. How about the responsibilities of Contractors and consulting units) (mentioned in part V of the report). implementation units? During the construction and operation process, flood, deposit or reservoir safety…should be taken Specific calculations have been carefully studied and presented in into consideration to ensure the feasibility and the environment impact assessment officially approved by the 148 sustainability. The project has just mentioned some Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. regulations (regulations that have been clearly mentioned in legal documents) On getting the approval on environment impact assessment, it is essential to follow regulations The project commits to follow environment management plans as 149 stipulated in Article 14, Decree No. 80/2006/NÄ?- well as process stipulated in the environment law. CP Issues related to resources available in the project area have been Specify research results of natural resources studied and mentioned in report on environment impact assessment available on flooded are in Son La province: forest approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (in resources, wood reserve, mineral resources, section 3.1, chapter III). After that, the specific study on possible 150 methods of taking advantage of minerals and effects of the project on natural reserves have also been implemented cleaning the reservoir. while the specific plan on lake cleaning has been developed. Before implementing, selected contractor will make the specific plan for this activity The report on environment impact assessment approved by the Supplement climate change assessment (sub Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has mentioned sub- region), including land, water, air…., impact scope region climate change impacts due to the development of large 151 and minimizing methods due to the development of reservoir. Impacts include both positive and negative ones (which large water reservoir. are mentioned in section 3.3, chapter III of the report). TT Question Answer It is necessary to have specific statistics on every kind of forest and land to support the process of developing proper methods and programs to support Almost every issue mentioned in the question has been studied and PMU of each natural reserve in enhancing the elaborated in the study of natural reserves- which has been 152 management of existing forest areas along with implemented to support the SESIA development of the project. supporting fund for developing forest, new ecological areas created by hydro-power plant construction (semi-flooded ecological area…) Construction area of access road (Co lÆ°Æ¡ng – Co Me) On implementing Co Luong- Co Me road, the project will have clear Road construction will cause dust. PMU is regulations toward construction contractors to minimize the recommended to have suitable methods to ensure unexpected impacts on the environment and daily life of people 153 the environment hygiene, particularly, clean water living along the road. Detailed methods are clearly mentioned in the to ensure the normal life for local people. environment management plan for Co Luong- Co Me road. It is recommended to avoid construction activities The project will minimize implementing night activities. When it is implemented at night. In case of being done at unavoidable, these activities will be announced in advance by 154 night, these activities have to be announced in contractors. advance. Workers will be carefully supervised by the project through proper The number of workers can be increased during the methods implemented by contractors. Specific methods include implementation; however, their camps are making workers live in their own camps that are as far from villages 155 recommended to be made at least 1km far from the as possible, having specific plans on managing these camps, village. following regulations for workers…. downstream of the river TT Question Answer Changes in the natural flow of Ma River will have influence on fishing. According to the report and fish and fishing implemented by the project, no kinds of fish migrate from downstream of Ma River What will the PMU do with risks of changing the to dam construction site to reproduce. More importantly, in order to natural flow of Ma River which will affect fishing 156 reserve marine species with the motto of reserving the completion of of local people? a river branch, the project is studying and further discussing with relevant provinces to keep the river unchanged. On the other hand, a program of fish addition in the lower section to recover economic fish. Disposal of wastes from the upper section is seriously stipulated in What will the PMU do to avoid impacts of waste the EMP of the project. Additionally, there remain supervision 157 from the upper section on the lower section? organs from the local authorities, PMU to independent and community supervisor in terms of waste disposal. Activities of the plant should be implemented properly to avoid using up water in dry seasons The procedure of putting water reservoir into practice approved by while exhausting water in flood seasons that can Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade will be seriously followed 158 cause negative impacts on life and assets of local to minimize this problem. people. Resettlement areas PMU will have proper measures to minimize this problem in through consultation, selection, design and construction. These measures are PMU is requested to create fresh and clean specified as follows: collect ideas of local people about resettlement 159 environment for resettlement areas. sites, select suitable house designs, following methods stated in environment impact assessment (EVN, 2010) during the implementation. One of environmental issues that should be paid According to the project‟s policy officially approved by the much attention is toilet. Noticeably, each affected Government, each of resettlement households will have their own 160 household will be supported with VND 8 million to kitchen and toilet with the average area of 10m2/ household. encourage them to use hygienic toilets. Water environment TT Question Answer In terms of running water for local people taken from Ma River, waste will be minimized to be exhausted to the river to avoid its What the PMU do to ensure the running water for possible pollution. In case of temporary muddy due to construction local people? At present, they are using water from activities, PMU will cooperate with communes‟ medical clinics to 161 Ma River as their running water. implement proper activities to ensure enough running water for local people. Furthermore, the flow of Ma River will always be remained through flow directing drains; therefore, drought will be impossible to happen during the project implementation. What can be done if the population happens when If the cage fish is affected by polluted water caused by the project 162 we develop fish cage? implementation, these impacts will be compensated by the project. At present, there is no record about the impacts caused by the Will the road construction affect running water construction of the road on clean water source of people. 163 resources of local people? In case of having possible effects on running water resources of local people due to project implementation, PMU will have proper methods to ensure enough water for local community. People should be provided with clean water during If the road construction have impacts on the clean water resources of 164 the road construction. local people, the project will have specific assisting methods to make sure that enough water is supplied to local people. At present, impacts on water resources have been identified. Water quality assessments of the reservoir and downstream will be checked It is essential to have specific assessment on and analyzed during the project implementation process. However, 165 possible impacts on water resources in the whole impacts on water source of Ma River may also be caused by other area. factors and activities of other projects, so it is difficult to assess specifically the entire Ma River. Before raising the water level in the reservoir, people are allowed to Regarding Xuan Nha- it is essential to harvest trees harvest trees and farm products of high economic value on their own possible to be flooded in advance to avoid water land. Selected contractor will develop a detailed implementation 166 pollution- discussion should be done with Xuan method through the lake cleaning plan to minimize the possible Nha reserve. water pollution. This will be cooperated by Xuan Nha reserve management unit. Air environment What can be done with dust-affected people living During the construction period, the contractor will water and apply along the road? Is the project possible to ensure 167 other mitigation measures to reduce dust caused by road construction spray water regularly? in order to avoid negative impacts on people. TT Question Answer Dust minimizing methods should be clarified such The project does not have enough conditions and money to use as using spray water systems or tank cars? Who will ejection systems. Therefore, tank cars will be used in this case and 168 be responsible for paying these high costs? the contractor will be in charge of these costs. Health services People healthcare is the responsibility of health system at grassroots level. The Project will assist the health system in order to enhance 169 How about the health care for local people? the service quality. A community health plan for 10 years will be carried out to meet the above objectives. Affected medical clinics will be compensated by the project in the line of relevant regulations. The affected health care will be repaired Will some affected medical clinics be reconstructed or rebuilt. The local health care plan will have suitable programs with the provision of training courses, human such as training, supporting some equipment and so on for the 170 resources or equipment? clinics in the locality. Specific activities will be done by social safeguard group under PMU in coordination with district medical centre and affected medical clinics during the project implementation. Contractors will take responsibilities for implementing healthcare It is essential to pay attention to the health of local plans for their construction workers. At the same time, the project 171 people and workers. will be in charge of implementing healthcare programs for local people in the next 10 years. These programs will help local people approach medical services. Trung Son Commune is the center of malaria for a long time; therefore, male workers are easy to be These issues will be put into consideration. Contractors will be suffered from this disease. Trung Thanh is the hot required to commit to follow healthcare plans for their workers. In 172 spot of HIV and drug addiction which will have a addition, the PMU will co-operate with the local authorities to huge effect in case of spreading to construction monitor the compliance of the contractors. sites. A medical clinic for the construction site will be built to ensure the It is recommended to have medical clinics before health of construction workers. This clinic will be provided with the the arrival of workers; Does the PMU have any preventive health and initial treatment programs for workers and 173 solutions for the problem that it is quite far to bring people when necessary. If there is any disease or accident beyond patients of traffic accidents to Quan Hoa hospital? the capacity of the clinic, the case will be transferred to the hospital, the General Hospital at Mai Chau Town, Mai Chau District, Hoa Binh Province. TT Question Answer PMU is recommended to cooperate with local These will be implemented by the project through (i) communication authorities to enhance propaganda activities to and propaganda to enhance the awareness of workers and improve the awareness of hygiene, health care and communities in project area, (ii) health care program in the project 174 disease control of local people. Contracts with local area within 10 years and (iii) healthcare programs for workers medical clinics in emergency and treatment for implemented by contractor. workers should be signed. The plan of having workers and local people join It is clearly stated in healthcare plans for local people and workers regular health check-up to timely discover disease that workers and local people will have a chance to join regular 175 and drug concentration is infeasible. check-up Regular check-up should be done along with buying Check-up, insurance for workers will be done by contractors. 176 medical insurance for workers. Transport At the moment, along the Mã River‟s section from Trung Son commune to MÆ°á»?ng Lát town has many underground rock reefs and huge waterfalls, so the local people don‟t usually use waterway. How will the impact on the waterway be Having water reservoir will help circulate the waterway of the dam‟s 177 minimized? upstream area. At the dam, the project has planned the transit station for water vehicles so that they can travel by waterway down to downstream and use the road from Co LÆ°Æ¡ng to Co me, which is safer than waterway, especially on rainy season. The Project will build concrete bridge in Co Me Village area to the Local people expect that the authority and the 178 other side of Ma River for the purposes of construction and people‟s project build hard bridge to Co Me. use. Security, labor safety and social evils. The project management Board will have worker management ties for the contractor through contracts, details are clearly stated in construction, worker camp management plan. The contractors and workers going to the working site have to obey a list of A large number of workers in the site area needs to 179 communication rules with community and other commits relating to be well-managed. security as well as obey the law and local customs. The management of the worker observance will be supervised by an independent supervising unit, the community and teams from the project management Board. 180 How will the security and social evils arose when The issues of security and social evils will be minimized through the TT Question Answer deploying the project working execution be worker‟s performance of communication rules, which is clearly managed by the Project Board? defined by the Project in the contract with the contractors. The project will request police of Thanh Hoa Province to set up a police station in the working site to directly ensure the security. The project also co-ordinates with the local authority to manage and guarantee the security. During the construction, the contractors will have to obey the labor The project needs to take care of labor safety during safety measures to ensure the labor safety for the workers. The 181 construction for employees and the local people. working sites will have signals and safety instructions in order to limit the affect on the local people. Culture and Historical Site In the project area, there are some archaeological These contents have been studied and clearly stated in the report on relics of prehistoric time, but mostly in Thach “Survey on object culture sources in Trung Son hydroelectric project Thanh whereas in the Western of Thanh Hoa, there area, Thanh Hoaâ€?. The project management Board will give the are very little. Seven archaeological relics in the 182 culture department a copy of this report. The excavation of these project area should be made clear in term of size. sites will be completed before the reservoir is filled up. During the How is the scale and cultural level of the tombs construction period, if any site is found out, the Project will follow under the taken back area of the project? “Chance find proceduresâ€? to deal with the sites. Seven culture, religion and cementery archaeological sites were evaluated in the report onâ€? Survey on object culture sources in Trung 7 archaeological sites of culture, religion and Son hydroelectric project area, Thanh Hoaâ€? cemetery. The location and solution, action process As for Co Me‟s cemetery, the specific action in EMDP is to build should be given to suit with culture. In page 10 of wall to protect. As for locations in worship of The God of the summarized report, the number of household, the 183 mountain village at Nang 1 and Tai Chinh mountain village, the impact and community‟s cultural features by TDC, specific action is rebuild these locations for resettle areas and the number of household and non-object culture support the donation. should be in detail in order not to disturb the local For other archaeological sites, report on culture has stated the people‟s life. specific action plan, we will send a copy of this report for the province‟s culture and Information department. When excavating column foundation they did not calculate surplus land transportation to the The project management unit will work closely with local identified location. Many of the construction units 184 authorities, the compensational Council, the support and resettlement poured surplus land and did not return land site of the district authority to unify the best solution to this problem. which causes landslides and washout. 185 TT Question Answer Environment: the long-term impact on the ecological environment has not been mentioned. Tan Lac district does not get benefits from power lines but since the line passed through (there are For the power line, the Project will have a separate EIA report currently 6 lines) there has occurred a lot of prepared before the construction of the line. thunder. The project has just compensated for DP but not considered environmental impacts on the community. At present, the number of poles and direction of the line have not How many columns does it need to construct power been identified. After defining the plan of power line direction and 186 lines through Mai Ha commune? through the fields basic design, the Project Management Unit will coordinate with or the populated area of the commune? local authorities to provide information early and consistently. PECC4 has currently calculated probable maximum flood (PMF) with the method of probable maximum precipitation (PMP) and How is the probable maximum flood (PMF) Water Resources University is calculating PMF flood with the 187 calculated? method of transferring it into storms and floods and verifies with Statistics Hershfield method. International Consultant of the World Bank has approved the results of this calculation. D. CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLARIFY RLDP AND SESIA/EMP REPORTS TT Question Answer TT Question Answer In the first part, the definition of the affected community made it very clear three subjects, "The communities which are isolated when water level rises or not in the in which the vicinity that could be affected in resettlement area but are torn from major retailers" is the section "c" of the 3rd terms of culture and society by this project is object in the definition of affected communities listed in Resettlement, also considered the affected community. So, Livelihood and Development of ethnic minorities Program (RLDP) of the the communities which are isolated when 188 project. water level rises or not in the resettlement area EVN is the investor; Trung Son PMU represents for investor to implement but are torn from major retailers should be Trung Son project. For issues that need further clarification before making a regarded as households affected by the project final decision, the PMU should report to get the approval of EVN. and the project rather than a different competent authority must have adequate policies. The report did not mention the influence area Reservoir area is determined in whole territory of Vietnam and is 9.5 km far in the riverhead related to Laos (Is there from Vietnam-Laos border so there is no direct impact to the territory of Laos. 189 impact? What impact, strong or weak for WB The project has also held consultations and received no opposed comments of to accept). the Government of Laos. In RLDP principle, please apply safety policies PMU confirms the World Bank's safety policy has been being strictly applied in 190 of the World Bank in implementing the land earliest time in the process of preparing and implementing projects. compensation for affected people. Institutional and legal framework (page 14) Appendix 1 must be added the decree 69/2009/ND-CP dated 13/8/2009 of the Government and Circular 14/2009/TT- RLDP report was prepared before the Government‟s Decree 69/2009/ND-CP. BTNMT on 01/10/2009 of the Ministry of However, we will add this content in the Principle of management and 191 Natural Resources and Environment. The new adaptation of the final version of RLDP report, but it is also necessary to ensure regulations aim to bring the compensation that the changes will not create conflict in commitments with the donors. value close to market prices to reduce the disadvantages for those affected, and also to meet the goal of harmonization with donors during the integration period. RLDP reports only show information and general data such as types of land Agriculture, forestry: do not clearly present affected, damage levels of the affected ... to make the general plan for the current cultivated area, productivity as well as project. Detailed problems were investigated and mentioned in the Report of arable conditions (water, percentage of rice 192 survey and economic evaluation - Trung Son Hydropower Project (DRCC- properties). The agricultural services such as 2008) and Research Report on livelihood opportunities and challenges of seed, animal health, agriculture and forestry communities living in areas affected by Trung Son - Thanh Hoa Hydropower extension are also not interested.. Dam (GRET -2008).A detailed survey will be carried out during the inventory TT Question Answer Other sources of financial revenue and process to establish compensation plan. expenditure, credit, savings have not been mentioned. Do not assess the rates as well as 193 assess what income source is advantageous (intensive labor, less risky, fast capital recovery and easy to sell…). Health situation does not reflect the current The health status in the project area has been assessed specifically in the health problems of the community, eg what is Community Health Report. The community health management program has 194 the treatment of people like? What routine been developed based on this detailed study. The RLDP, SESIA/EMP only practice affects people's health? How are mention the key points of the study. village health - medical services operated? The social capital has been studied and evaluated in two reports: Report of The social capital - networks of institutions, survey and economic evaluation - Trung Son Hydropower Project (DRCC- 195 social relations of the community were not 2008) and Research Report on livelihood opportunities and challenges of considered and assessed. communities living in areas affected by Trung Son - Thanh Hoa Hydropower Dam (GRET -2008). This section offers information on the preliminary evaluation of the ability to Paragraph mentioning language and culture use the Vietnamese in ethnic minorities. The data are difficult to quantify and (page 19) is not quantitative, needs to are not targets of this report. supplement the historical and cultural relics of The project has conducted archaeological research to identify the relics and the region such as the Tu Ma Temple works potentially affected by projects and has a plan to minimize the impact 196 worshiping Le Phu Tran (Le regime), Ba (see EMP report). Therefore, the introduction of historical relics in comments Pagoda (Hoi Xuan commune), Pha U Bo Peak on this content is not really necessary because the relics would not be affected where militants of Le Phu My shot down by Trung Son Hydropower project/ has little affection risk from the Trung Son American aircrafts; Hydropower project. TT Question Answer In the consultation process, PMU always ensures that people are free to express In cases where families are relocated, or when ideas, aspirations and have shown their decision-making power. Specifically, in households are affected by the community order to plan resettlement areas, PMU has consulted households and authorities receiving displaced households, but only apply from village, commune, district and province. The aspirations of the community the principle of "free, voluntary consultation 197 are always respected and PMU has planed resettlement in accordance with the and prior notice with villages of ethnic majority of people's opinions to submit the competent authorities for decision. minorities " (page 5, line 3) is not adequate, In the implementation of plan for improving the livelihood of households instead, they must comply with the Basic affected by the project, people will decide the selection of specific activities for Democracy Ordinance. their livelihoods. It is necessary to carefully consider the grow The report pointed out that: "Through consultation, propose to allow growing of of luong, eucalyptus or rubber plant near luong in the new area around the reservoir after the reservoir formation." reservoir areas, they only increase erosion into However, when implementing livelihood activities, the choices for the plant will the reservoir, because those plant species have 198 need community consultation and the assistance of experts to ensure that no effect on soil protection, erosion control choices are suitable for natural conditions, expectations of people and limit without the good technique, although they may erosion into the reservoir. bring immediate profits and have good consumer markets. It is necessary to clarify a principle of food In the opinion of the project of livelihood restoration for the people, to obtain assistance until livelihood of households the goal we cannot just rely on food assistance, rather it must be done through a affected is restored to levels equal to the level comprehensive program of different supported activities including: before resettlement. Because the food supply is Compensation for resettlement, resettlement support, activities to restore 199 not guaranteed until the people's livelihood livelihoods, EMDP and other technical support as described in RLDP report. recovery, poverty will always follow Food support is only to support people through a period of interruption due to resettlement people, because they do not have resettlement. To avoid interruption in production, a number of CLIP‟s activities the resources to develop production and will be implemented soon, as in the implementation plan which was presented. income generation. In page 35 on compensation policy framework This part reflects: The solution to the differences between national legal in the second idea, the 3rd mark on WB's framework and security policies of the World Bank through the Resettlement safety policy is not sufficient, i.e: the loss of Policy Framework, it does not describe the policy framework. The principle of revenue from the milpa, from harvesting of 200 compensation for loss of income by Trung Son Hydropower Project has been natural resources must be compensated, not clearly stated in the Policy Framework which was adopted by World Bank and only land use (see Policy of ethnic minority no the Prime Minister for approval and CLIP is one of the measures to offset that OP.4 .10 in 7-2005; pages 2 and 3 sections a loss. and b) TT Question Answer Infrastructure will be developed based on the size of households which has been provided in resettlement policy framework of the project and will be reflected in The paragraph about infrastructure (page 46) approved specific resettlement zones. Resettlement zones were passed by Thanh must be added the work of the rural markets, is Hoa and Son La People's Committee, approved by EVN in QHTT based on the generally associated with these criteria of scale of the resettlement households in the mountainous rural areas under the 201 building the new rural area regulated in provisions of Vietnam. The resettlement of households of Trung Son Decision 491/2009/QD-TTg on 16/4/2009 of Hydropower Project is resettled in the same village, so there is no market the Prime Minister. planning, which arises no payment for these costs. (For Decision 491/2009/QD- TTg dated 04/16/2009 of the Prime Minister applying for planning the new rural communes). Currently, the planning of resettlement sites only includes 01 water point which What is the water supply like if resettlement 202 cannot supplied until the household. For this, the project has the plan for areas are higher than water supply? common water supply for them. - About planning the restoration and livelihood improvement, the number of experimental models is too little, if incidents occur, then it is difficult to secure the typical model for study. - The pilot models will be specified in terms of quantity, type in the process of For example, in Table 29 (page 61) - Group of development and with planning of people and the assistance of experts. 203 cattle interests only support 1 unit/household... - The project has had plans of capacity building for community affected when At the technical support section, activity 3.1 RLDP is implemented. (page 61): in the activities of the village the capacity improvement should be integrated with enhancing adaptation to climate change, which is of global concern. In the process of implementing plans of improving livelihoods, the project will It should be integrated with other projects to coordinate with other projects being implemented in the province to make enhance animal health (training for local staff), 204 appropriate livelihoods for local people and, to avoid duplication and ensure self-management activities in the community security mechanism to coordinate the best use of all resources deployed in the to manage the uncertainty problem. province. In "complaints" (p. 103), that says "conflict "A conflict with the coming workersâ€? in this section shall be construed as with the coming workers" to do construction, conflicts involving interests of households on the issues of environment and 205 this will not belong categories of complaints society as drinking water, epidemics, social evils. .. that the project has and lawsuits on the issues that are related to committed to minimize when existing the appearance of too many workers. RLDP but they are civil cases. TT Question Answer Should review the level of support of Policy Framework of the project before approval by the Prime Minister has interrupted production (p. 26): drawn experiences from previous hydroelectric projects such as Ban ve, Son La - Single-member households are supported 3 and regulations of the Government of Vietnam. So the support level of million; production interruptions of Trung Son project is considered suitable support in 206 - For multi-member households, from the first the real situation now. two or more people, each additional person is On the other hand, the project has livelihoods improvement program with plans supported 2 million. to be implemented within four years. The level is too low to help such people in supporting livelihoods recovery production. The interpretations "If the forecast says that This problem is related to the operation process of the plant to ensure dam flood rises in downstream areas, and water safety - it is the highest priority during operation of the facility. The unclear levels in reservoirs reach and even exceed the translation may lead to misunderstandings. This problem is understood as testing water level (161.7m), we will have a follows "If it is predicted to have flood, and water levels in reservoirs reach and 207 spillway discharge. When the checking water even exceed the testing water level (161.7m), we will discharge through the level is reached, we must open all doors and spillway. When the water level reaches the testing water level, we must open all plumbings" (p. 56) should be reviewed as the doors of the spillway and intakes." This issue can be further seen in the reservoir would cause harm to the downstream reservoir operating procedures of the project. when floods are big. List of rare and precious species of forest flora and fauna was presented in details in the report "Assessing the impact of Trung Son Hydropower project to The report must contain a list of rare and nature conservation and biodiversity on land" - Implemented in 2008 by Center 208 precious species of forest flora and fauna in for Biological Diversity and Safety. The table set out in section 4.5.3 is general the project area. information. In the process of implementation, the project will refer to the detailed list of that report at the request. The project determined the scope of the project is the communes located along The report defined six communes directly the Ma river from downstream of the dam to the confluence with Luong river. affected by the project, but did not mention the Since this time the downstream impacts cannot be accurately determined, the range and (name of) other villages in the 209 project applies "management by adaptable methods" so only predicts that areas downstream below the hydroelectric dam that of downstream can be affected. The specific list of the communes will be would be affected by the operation of stopping determined during implementation and operation of projects, the minimizing flow and volume store of water upstream program will be built and implemented when problems arise. The project has evaluated the impact when it is implemented in the forest and The forest area will be narrow, which leads to will use the mitigation measures to compensate for adverse impacts to the water resources will be exhausted and not 210 forest, will develop models of sustainable farming to prevent erosion and enough to supply the resettlement; did the protect water resources. project study this problem? TT Question Answer The problem of water quality impairment in the construction stage will be The report did not mention the effects and analyzed and updated in this section of the final report. However, EMP has 211 risks which are important, such as affecting included waste water control requirements at construction and the workers‟ water sources and reduce water quality camps which are defined in Appendix A of the EMP report. The issues of environmental impact are not reflected in the Plan such as: affecting Impact on wildlife will be implemented specifically in the additional studies 212 National Parks and protected areas, fish (Part 12 of EMP report). The project had plans to improve the ability for nature migration issues (mentioned in Annex G-1), conservation areas. affecting the wildlife.