Local people on Ly Son Island, Quang Ngai Province have expressed concerns about possible damage to the island if a newly-proposed urban area is approved.

A corner of Ly Son Island

The Sea Eyes project was proposed last year by Ly Son JSC. The complex will cover 55 hectares including a public beach, boat racing area, a square, a shopping centre and apartment blocks. It is estimated to cost over VND1.7trn (USD73m) and will become the biggest urban area in Quang Ngai.

The project is hoped to boost the development of Ly Son, however, it has faced many criticism and concerns from the locals.

Dang Dinh Nguyen said the urban area will block the view, encroach upon the seaweed conservation and restoration area, and badly affect the fishermen. "This is our traditional location for boat races and fishing. Building an urban area there will affect our daily lives," he said.

Many people also raised concerns about environmental impacts and other public, religious constructions on the islands.

Le Van Ninh, vice chairman of Ly Son, recognised the concerns but said that the project would hugely benefit Ly Son's development.

"Ly Son Island attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. But the sparse infrastructure for tourism hinders our growth. The Sea Eyes project can deal with this problem and I agree that investor must ensure the locals' interests," he said.

Ly Son JSC promised to not damage existing public constructions such as temples and will have measures to keep the ocean view of those constructions.

When being asked about the impact on the environment, Phung Dinh Toan, head of Ly Son Marine Reserve said the majority of the urban area was located on just dead coral, sand, seaweed and seagrass. However, to ensure transparency, an independent party should be invited to review the project.

Toan said, "The Department of Construction should gather opinions from all agencies and Ly Son District People's Committee before submitting the final report to Quang Ngai People's Committee."

Dtinews