VietNamNet Bridge - When the Tram Gian temple in Hanoi is still a hot scandal, a similar case has been discovered in Hung Yen province. Mau Temple, a national relic, is being newly built by the local government.
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Mau Temple is a typical architectural monument in the Pho Hien relic complex, which was ranked as a national relic in 1990. This is also a spiritual tourism destination which attracts many tourists to visit and worship. Mau Temple is under the direct management of the People's Committee of Quang Trung ward, Hung Yen city.
Mau Temple welcomes tens of thousands of visitors annually but the local authorities have not planned parking areas, resulting in frequent traffic congestion in front of the relic.
As a major tourist attraction but there are no tour guides, no publications such as brochures, leaflets to introduce the relic to tourists. Services for Buddhist followers who come to the temple for worship are also unavailable.
Many people said buying offerings at the Mau Temple is much more expensive compared to other places. However, this situation has taken place for a long time without solutions.
Besides the above sad reality, the temple management board and the local localities are doing something that visitors have raised questions about the restoration of the temple.
Specifically, nine kiosks are under construction in front of the temple gate, in the protected zone without consulting specialized agencies and the competent agencies.
Nine kiosks are being built in front of the temple's gate.
Nguyen Thanh Binh, Vice Chairman of Quang Trung District, Hung Yen city said Do Xuan Tuyen, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Yen city agreed to build the 9 kiosks in the Mau Temple.
The chairman of Hung Yen city’s permission to restore and upgrade the Mau Temple is not in accordance with the law. Under the Heritage Law, the People's Committee of Hung Yen city does not have the right to build new works in the protected zone of the national relic. Section 3, Article 32 of the Heritage Law specifies that the construction activities in the protected zone of national relics must be approved in written by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The area in front of the Mau Temple’s gate is the protected zone. So, without a license of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the People’s Committee of Hung Yen city’s approval of construction 9 kiosks in this area is violation to the Law on Cultural Heritage.
To clarify this issue, in early September 2012, nearly two months since the kiosks were constructed, VietNamNet’s reporters met with the Relics Management Board of Hung Yen province. By this time this agency knew about the above case. This means that the construction of nine kiosks at the Mau Temple was not reported to the Relics Management Board of Hung Yen.
Then the Relics Management Board asked the People's Committee of Quang Trung district to make files on the construction of kiosks at the Mau Temple to submit to specialized agencies and competent authorities for solving in accordance with the legal process.
Through this case, Hung Yen Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant agencies of Hung Yen province need to join hands to not let the second Tram Giang case to happen.
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