VietNamNet Bridge – Land compensation of tens of thousands of USD was used to build big houses in the resettlement area of the Dakdrinh hydropower plant in Son Tay District in the central province of Quang Ngai. But now the owners face risk of poverty. 

According to the local government, 509 households are located in the area affected by the Dakdrinh hydropower project. Of these, 180 households had to move to the new location. Those families had received compensation for their land, houses, and fields totaling over VND186 billion ($8.5 million).

Living in poverty, suddenly each household received compensation from several tens of thousands to hundreds thousands of USD. They hurriedly built villas and big houses in the new location and bought modern and luxury household appliances.

Now living in the new villa, Dinh Van Son still is sad because he remembers the forest and field in his old village, which is now the reservoir of the Dakdrinh hydropower plant.

"My son spent all of the compensation for this house and household appliances. We are out of money now. We have to earn our living as hired workers because we don’t have the field anymore," said Son.

Some households that received huge compensation bought cars.

Local police said local people were also enticed by some unethical traders to buy cattle and household utensils on credit, at excessively high prices. They were quickly out of pocket.

Owning a big house worth VND600 million ($30,000), Mr. Dinh Van Duon’s family lives in a nearby house on stilts.

Ms. Dinh Thi Pan said the big house in the resettlement area was only used by her children for studies. The family activities only take place in the house on stilts next to the modern house because ethnic minority people are used to living in traditional houses.

Every day, young men return to their old village for cultivation or go to other districts to work, leaving women and children in the new village.

Receiving tens of thousand USD of compensation, Dinh Thi Du’s family spent the money for a villa-style house in the resettlement area. Out of money, his life is at a standstill, Du’s son committed suicide, and her daughter-in-law left home to work. Du has to take care of a disabled daughter and her 2-year-old grandchild. Their lives are extremely difficult.

A poor family lives in a big house in the resettlement area.

Having no land for cultivation in the new village, many households left the big houses in the resettlement area to return to their old village to do farming on the remaining land along the Dakdrinh reservoir.

A spacious house in the resettlement area is used as a wood warehouse.

Party Secretary of Son Tay District Ding Ka De said due to wasteful spending, most households in the resettlement area are facing the risk of poverty. These households have been living in the new village for nearly three years, and they have not been allocated cultivation land for several reasons.

The 125 MW Dakdrinh Hydropower Plant has a total investment of VND3,423 billion, with a reservoir covering 900 hectares with total capacity of 248 million m3.

The resettlement area with new houses.     A big house in the village.     Now living in the new villa, Mr. Dinh Van Son still is sad because he remembers the forest and field in his old village, which is now the reservoir of the Dakdrinh hydropower plant.     Some households that received huge compensation bought cars.    They bought modern household appliances.     Owning a big house worth VND600 million ($30,000), Mr. Dinh Van Duon’s family lives in a nearby house on stilts.   Similary, Ms. Dinh Thi Pan said the big house in the resettlement area was only used by her children for studies. The family activities only take place in the house on stilts next to the modern house because ethnic minority people are used to living in traditional houses.     Every day, young men return to their old village for cultivation or go to other districts to work, leaving women and children in the new village.   Ms. Dinh Thi Du, her disabled daughter and her grandchild.     Mr. Dinh Van Ky and his children     Having no land for cultivation in the new village, many households left the big houses in the resettlement area to return to their old village to do farming on the remaining land along the Dakdrinh reservoir.     A spacious house in the resettlement area is used as a wood warehouse.     These houses are priced from VND350 to VND650 million ($17,000-32,000).