Directive Prohibiting Construction, Tree Planting, and Theft/Sale of Electrical Equipment in Power Line Corridors in Attapeu Province

Article

Lao People's Democratic Republic
Peace, Independence, Democracy, Unity, Prosperity

Attapeu Province No. 077/Prov.Order

Attapeu, Date 0 Day Month Year 20274

Guidance Order
On Prohibiting Individuals and Legal Entities from Constructing Buildings, Planting Trees under Power Line Corridors, and Stealing, Buying, Selling All Types of Electrical Equipment in Attapeu Province

- Pursuant to the Law on Local Administration (Amended) No. 68/NA, dated December 14, 2015, Chapter 1, Article 20 on the rights and duties of the Provincial Governor and Mayor of Vientiane Capital;

- Pursuant to the Law on Electricity (Amended) No. 19/NA, dated May 9, 2017, Chapter 1, Articles 93-96 and the Lao Electrical Technical Standards 2018;

- Pursuant to the letter of the Provincial Department of Energy and Mines No. 24/PEM, dated 06
December 2023.

In recent years, individuals and legal entities have constructed buildings, planted industrial trees, and fruit trees exceeding X meters in height under power line corridors, and have illegally purchased and sold equipment parts: nuts, bolts, connectors, wires, and steel poles in high-voltage, medium-voltage, and low-voltage transmission lines and street lighting systems throughout Attapeu Province. This is the main cause of power outages, blackouts, leaks, and short circuits in various locations, leading to many negative social phenomena, such as: causing ill-intentioned groups to increasingly construct buildings and plant trees under power line corridors and illegally trade electrical equipment year after year, resulting in damage to assets tied to the Party-State budget, requiring annual maintenance and repair. Therefore, to address the issue,
The above has been amended and deleted.

The Provincial Governor issues an order:

1. Require party-state organizations, business units, Lao citizens, and all foreign parties to cooperate in monitoring individuals or groups who abuse their positions or personal interests to construct buildings, houses, plant trees along power line corridors, and illegally trade equipment parts: nuts, bolts, tie wires, wires-steel poles on high-voltage, medium-voltage, low-voltage transmission lines and street lighting systems throughout Attapeu Province; if found, call to notify the local police or administrative authorities in the relevant jurisdiction to bring the involved persons to legal proceedings, and the informant will be kept confidential and will receive policy rewards from the state as deemed appropriate.
2. All sectors of the Lao people are required to pay attention and act as eyes and ears in monitoring the transport and movement of steel poles and wires by individuals or groups that are seen to be inconsistent with laws and regulations, in houses, scrap metal shops, high-voltage pole installation sites, streetlights, etc. If found to be in possession or trading of electrical equipment, call to notify the authorities or report to the organization to which they belong, in order to serve as a basis for inspection, search, and detention of the relevant persons for timely legal proceedings.

5. The district chiefs of 5 districts (urban areas) shall jointly organize the implementation and dissemination of this order to the relevant departments of the district for their information and cooperation as follows:
3.1 Appoint district-level special committees, especially for districts with high-voltage power transmission lines, to deploy them to each village group for close monitoring and inspection, and report weekly to the district office and the district energy and mining office for acknowledgment;

3.2 The district shall compile a list of scrap metal and wire buying-selling shops, then coordinate with the local checkpoint management committee, international checkpoints, the district peace and security committee, the immigration office, and the district industry and commerce office's committee for combating corruption, theft, and sabotage, together with the district energy and mining office, to conduct joint monitoring and inspection; if any violations are found or information is obtained, report to the relevant district public security command for arrest and seizure of evidence for legal proceedings.
53.3 The district chief or deputy district chief shall coordinate with the District Energy and Mines Office, the District Public Works and Transport Office, and the District Agriculture and Forestry Office to disseminate the prohibitions on constructing buildings, planting trees higher than 2 meters, and various regulations within the width of the high-voltage transmission line corridor, according to Lao electrical technical standards, so that the people, civil servants, military, police, traders, and foreign residents living in each district are widely informed.

4. Assign the Provincial Department of Energy and Mines to perform the duties of monitoring, inspecting, mobilizing, mediating, and acting as a coordination center, in coordination with private project owners, the Lao Electric Power Company Attapeu Provincial Branch, and village authorities, to jointly monitor and inspect high-voltage and medium-voltage transmission line corridors.
Regularly inspect streetlights and road lighting 1-2 times per month. If buildings, trees, or electrical equipment are found damaged or destroyed, investigate the detailed cause and report to the provincial office for timely resolution.

It is strictly prohibited to steal electrical equipment and wires for sale. Violators and colluding buyers and sellers will be fined and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

6. All departments, bureaus, offices, equivalent agencies, state enterprises, village authorities, and cadres engaged in grassroots political construction shall acknowledge and strictly implement together.

5. Scrap metal shop owners or individuals engaged in buying and selling scrap metal are prohibited from purchasing metal from ill-intentioned groups.
7. This directive shall take effect from the date of signature.

Governor of the Province

Van Thong Kongmany