During the period when Mr. Six Dân (Prime Minister Võ Văn Kiệt) was Vice Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Head of the State Planning Committee, I was the Deputy Director of the Oil and Gas Department, and from 1983, the Deputy Director of the Heavy Industry Department, specializing in basic construction, and was a direct subordinate of his.
During that period, many heavy industrial projects were under construction: the Hoa Binh and Tri An hydroelectric power plants, the Pha Lai thermal power plant, the oil and gas project in Vung Tau, the Lao Cai apatite project, etc., so I had even more opportunities to interact with him in my work.
There are two stories that left a deep impression on me regarding Mr. Six Dân's spirit of serving the people!
In November 1979, we began construction of the Hoa Binh Hydroelectric Power Plant, with the goal of commissioning the first turbine in December 1988. To achieve this, the first phase of damming the river had to be completed by January 1983, and the second phase by January 1986. Resettlement of residents had to be carried out urgently, with limited funds and a large amount of work to be done quickly to ensure the project's progress.
In 1983, when I took over the position of deputy director in charge of basic construction at the Heavy Industry Department, I saw that two resettlement plans were being implemented. Those living in concentrated areas were to be relocated to concentrated areas, with resettlement zones.
For scattered settlements, the relocation plan involves "lifting up" the houses, meaning that when the highest water level of Hoa Binh Lake reaches +120m, people will "lift up" their houses along the mountain slopes, moving them higher than +120m. Households in lower areas will be relocated first, followed by those in higher areas, according to the rising water level, much like the image of mountain dwellers "lifting up their trousers to cross a stream."
This method of relocation relies solely on the strength of the people, in the spirit of mobilizing the people's strength during wartime. When a household moves, neighbors come to help, removing the roof and carrying the house to higher ground, then re-roofing it. This method of relocation is faster and more cost-effective.
Once the damming and water impoundment were complete, the limitations of the relocation plan were discovered. Those who were relocated, when the water level rose, were living on small islands, completely isolated from the outside world. Life was extremely difficult!
Meanwhile, in the South, at the Tri An hydroelectric project, the relocation of residents was carried out meticulously. The cost per household was higher. Resettlement areas were built in a modern style, ensuring a normal life for the displaced people.
We went to work with the Song Da Working Committee of Ha Son Binh province (comprising Hoa Binh and the former Ha Tay province). Everyone compared the resettlement work for the two hydropower plants and recommended applying the resettlement standards of Tri An to Hoa Binh, abandoning the "piecemeal" resettlement method. We reported back to Mr. Sau Dan.
He said: "Just give us an advance payment to start working immediately according to the proposal; the basic construction procedures will be completed later. Waiting for the procedures to be finished will take a long time. Just follow the standard rates for each household, like in Tri An. We don't mind doing what benefits the people."
Our people have already suffered so much in the two wars; they are in great pain. Don't make them suffer any more. This is also an area inhabited by ethnic minorities, whose lives are already very difficult. In Tri An, I previously instructed: When people move to new places, they must be provided with better living conditions and employment opportunities than in their old homes!
The concern for the people when they have to be relocated for large-scale construction projects, with the spirit that the people's new homes must be better than their old ones, begins right here!
In January 1988, we went on a business trip to Hoang Lien Son province (which now includes Lao Cai, Yen Bai provinces and Than Uyen district of Lai Chau). Mr. Bui Quang Vinh, then the Standing Deputy Chairman of the Provincial Planning Committee, worked with us in the province, and later accompanied us to work with production facilities and districts.
On January 23, 1988, we went to work with Van Yen district. Mr. Hoang Xuan Loc - the district chairman - worked with us (later, Mr. Loc became the Secretary of the Yen Bai Provincial Party Committee for the 2005-2010 term).
When presenting the district's socio-economic development plan and proposals, Mr. Loc stated that out of the 75 inhabitants of Van Yen at that time, approximately 30 were originally from Yen Binh and had relocated to make way for the Thac Ba hydroelectric dam reservoir.
The Thac Ba hydroelectric power plant started generating electricity in 1971, but until then, the people living around the Thac Ba reservoir still didn't have access to electricity. The district proposed building a 35 kV power line to bring electricity from Co Phuc. We discussed and supported the district's proposal, and unanimously agreed to proceed immediately.
One of the officers who was with us said: "The plan has just been handed over, and you're making such strong decisions. Where will you get the money and materials to do it? Will the 'bosses' agree?" Back then, to build a 35 kV power line, in addition to the capital budget, there were also material requirements, from transformers, aluminum cables, power poles, insulators... it was very difficult and involved many different departments!
I replied: “I will report this to Mr. Le Danh (at that time, Mr. Le Danh was the Deputy Head in charge of basic construction) and Mr. Sau Dan. I'm sure they will support it!”
Upon returning to Hanoi, I reported to Mr. Le Danh. Mr. Le Danh took me to West Lake (at that time, Mr. Sau lived in Quang Ba, West Lake) to report to Mr. Sau. He said: "Do it immediately, add it to the 1988 plan. Just do it and record it in the plan later. This should have been done a long time ago."
The people sacrificed everything, abandoning their homes, fields, temples, and churches for us to build the power plant. Tens of thousands of people relocated from Yen Binh to Van Yen, more than 60 or 70 kilometers away, to a more desolate and remote area. "Once the electricity is finished, they won't get to enjoy it. Other places have electricity, and the people who sacrificed everything to build it haven't received anything yet. Get it done immediately! Van Yen must have electricity by the end of this year!".
At the end of 1988, the 35 kV power line from Co Phuc to Mau A was energized. The people of Van Yen finally had electricity after about 25 years of abandoning their homeland, which had been submerged under the Thac Ba hydroelectric reservoir.
People say: Mr. Six Dân does everything for the people!
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During our time working under the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet, we dared to do many things, including those that were done first and reported later, because we knew that Mr. Six Dan was only for the people! As long as we worked honestly and selflessly with the principle of serving the people, he always approved and encouraged us.
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